Days after the BBC printed the outcomes of its prolonged investigation into complaints made by actress Amanda Abbington towards her 2023 Strictly companion Giovanni Pernice, the controversy across the scandal refuses to go away.
Though the BBC apologised to Abbington, and upheld a few of her claims about verbal bullying and harassment, it cleared Pernice of essentially the most critical allegations of bodily aggression.
The result’s that either side have been claiming victory.
Sherlock actress Abbington known as the BBC’s apology a ‘vindication’ of her stance. For his half, Pernice was ‘happy’ with the results of the investigation and ‘relieved that the overwhelming majority of allegations had not been upheld’.
So what are Strictly followers to make of all of it? Right here, KATIE HIND, who has been following each twist, twirl and quickstep of this gripping ballroom drama, reveals ten behind-the-scenes nuggets of inside data that make it all of the extra extraordinary…
BBC chiefs unveiled the findings from their six-month investigation into Amanda Abbington ‘s explosive allegations that her Strictly companion Giovanni bullied her in coaching, on Monday
1 Whereas it seems no secret that Amanda needed Giovanni’s former companions to again her claims that he was a bully, few of them did. Though former Love Island host Laura Whitmore, who was partnered with him in 2016, says she raised considerations about his behaviour with the BBC on the time, she is the one one to have publicly lambasted him.
Whereas it seems no secret that Amanda needed Giovanni’s former companions to again her claims that he was a bully, few of them did. Though former Love Island host Laura Whitmore, who was partnered with him in 2016, says she raised considerations about his behaviour with the BBC on the time, she is the one one to have publicly lambasted him.
Whereas it seems no secret that Amanda needed Giovanni’s former companions to again her claims that he was a bully, few of them did. Though former Love Island host Laura Whitmore, who was partnered with him in 2016, says she raised considerations about his behaviour with the BBC on the time, she is the one one to have publicly lambasted him.
Regardless of accusations that he was impolite to singer Faye Tozer, she refused to make any remark to me, neither did actress Rose Ayling-Ellis, with whom he received the glitter ball trophy in 2021.
TV presenter Richie Anderson, who was rumoured to dislike Giovanni, additionally stored quiet in public.
In the meantime, regardless of Amanda assembly Good Morning Britain star Ranvir Singh for a ‘summit’ to debate her woes, she is claimed to have been thrilled that Giovanni bought her to the semi-final in 2020.
Amanda and companion Giovanni earlier than she determined to stop amid claims he was a bully
My supply mentioned: ‘That they had a tough begin, however then Ranvir determined he was somewhat good for getting her thus far.’ Even right this moment, Ranvir’s social-media profile image is of her acting on Strictly.
In the meantime, Paul Daniels’ widow Debbie McGee mentioned: ‘My expertise on Strictly will all the time be completely satisfied and life-changing. Gio nurtured me by way of my grief and gave me confidence I might do issues I believed have been past me.’ Debbie additionally spoke to the BBC investigators and gave him a glowing report.
2 For weeks Amanda insisted she and Giovanni have been mates; the truth is, she described him as a ‘legend’.
After rumours circulated that they have been at loggerheads in September final 12 months and that she was on the verge of quitting Strictly on account of his abrasive coaching methods, she instructed her followers on Instagram that Gio was ‘vastly gifted’.
She added to her put up an image of her beaming with happiness: ‘The smile you give your professional companion on the finish of the digital camera rehearsal when you understand you might be in secure and vastly gifted fingers. Giovanni Pernice ya legend, see you all tomorrow.’
3 Whereas tempers could have frayed at instances between Sicilian star Giovanni and Amanda, he thought she was a really gifted dancer and even that she might win the present.
Buddies of Giovanni’s say she had the potential and that he was upset when she determined to stop. They instructed me: ‘Amanda was a nightmare for Giovanni at instances and he felt she didn’t all the time apply herself, however when she did determine to finish her time on the present he was down about it – he thought he might have gotten her to the ultimate and received. He is aware of expertise when he sees it and he noticed it in her.’
4 Giovanni was all set to seem on this 12 months’s collection regardless that Amanda had made casual complaints about him to the BBC.
He was known as in for a gathering in March the place he was instructed by Strictly’s highest echelons that they needed him again. He was thrilled and was ‘dotting the i’s and crossing the t’s’.
Nevertheless, simply days after this newspaper printed particulars of his deliberate return, Amanda instructed authorized agency Carter-Ruck to make a proper criticism to the BBC.
Then, Giovanni determined to stop the present, regardless of pleas from his colleagues on the broadcaster to not.
‘He didn’t want the effort,’ mentioned one. The BBC was livid, one other insider mentioned: ‘We needed him again for the twentieth anniversary. We have been so upset.’
5 BBC bosses ‘deeply remorse’ pairing Giovanni with Amanda. With hindsight, I’m instructed, they need that they had put him with Irish tv presenter Angela Scanlon and Amanda with the ‘a lot softer’ professional dancer Carlos Gu. They imagine that neither couple would have clashed and the scandal would by no means have imploded.
‘Angela needed to win, like Gio,’ mentioned a present insider. ‘She was robust and up for the problem; she would have thrived with Gio whereas Carlos would have been extra like a pussy cat with Amanda.’
I’m instructed that bosses are actually trying extra rigorously at how they match companions following the ‘mistake’ of placing Amanda and Giovanni collectively.
6 After Amanda instructed presenter Krishnan Guru-Murthy in a bombshell interview on Channel 4 Information that her criticism about Gio was of a sexual nature, her attorneys freaked out and insisted that ITV couldn’t point out it throughout their interview along with her the following day.
Presenter Christine Lampard quizzed her on the Lorraine present, however viewers have been left stunned when she didn’t ask a follow-up query in regards to the declare which had been aired the evening earlier than.
I’m instructed: ‘Amanda’s crew didn’t need her to speak about it once more, perhaps as a result of Giovanni’s attorneys intervened.’
By the way, whereas Krishnan claimed to be on Staff Amanda, he additionally tried to woo Giovanni for an interview.
7 Giovanni was secretly supported not solely by the Strictly judges however by hosts Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman.
Anton du Beke, Craig Revel Horwood and Shirley Ballas all ‘commonly’ checked in on him whereas Claudia and Tess instructed these they labored with within the tv business that they backed him.
‘Gio was a part of the Strictly household they usually merely didn’t assume he was a nasty individual,’ mentioned one insider.
8 Amanda was a tricky cookie as a toddler. She was a ballerina from the age of three to 16 and so decided to be the easiest that her ft would commonly bleed in her ballet footwear throughout her gruelling coaching classes.
A subdued Amanda on the Lorraine present, a day after her bombshell claims on Channel 4
She additionally put up with large criticism in her dancing days and later studied at Laine Theatre Arts in Epsom, Surrey, which was near the place she grew up.
9 In Could, sources near Amanda complained that Giovanni had stamped on her foot throughout coaching. This was not upheld by the BBC’s investigators, which I can reveal, deemed it half and parcel of ballroom dancing. Though it was advisable that Giovanni ought to have given her extra space.
10 His 9 years on Strictly have been ‘delightfully completely satisfied’ for Giovanni, mentioned certainly one of his mates. However he has been left devastated by Amanda’s claims and can by no means return to the UK model of the present.
‘Gio’s Strictly profession is over now,’ mentioned a supply near him. ‘He liked it whereas it lasted however typically you must transfer on.’
Giovanni was additionally provided the chance of collaborating on ITV present I’m A Movie star… however turned it down to seem on the Italian model of Strictly, Ballando con le Stelle.
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