Amanda Abbington's 'verbally abusive' behaviour to Giovanni Pernice laid bare

Former Strictly Come Dancing star Amanda Abbington has been accused of using vile language towards Giovanni Pernice - despite her accusations of being verbally abused

Amanda Abbington has been accused of using a string of swear words directed at her professional Strictly Come Dancing partner, Giovanni Pernice.

The Sherlock actress, 52, was paired with the Italian dancer on the BBC show last year, but things ended in turmoil when Amanda left the show early due to complications with Giovanni. She recently also revealed that she had been dealing with a breast cancer scare while on the show.

The actress filed a complaint against Giovanni shortly after quitting the show and made a number of allegations about him - including that he used vile and insulting language when speaking to her. Giovanni has always strongly denied Amanda's claims.

A BBC inquiry into the matter mostly exonerated the professional dancer from allegations last month but did issue an apology to Amanda after confirming some of her accusations of bullying.

It was revealed that months of waiting for the outcome of the probe had come to an end and bosses have ruled that the Italian dancer was not abusive, threatening or intimidating. They also confirmed there was no aggressive or physical conduct.

In a recent interview, Amanda recalled discovering two lumps in her breast, which turned out to be non-cancerous, during what turned out to be her 'final week' on Strictly. She added she was relieved her cancer scare meant she could quit the competition.

Although some of Amanda's claims against Giovanni were upheld, it has now been alleged by Mail Online that Amanda directed a 'string of swear words' towards Giovanni – and was reportedly deemed to have been the one to start the coarse ­language by the BBC probe.

According to the report, Amanda was also reportedly ruled to have been the only one to have used the ‘c-word’ in the hours of rehearsal footage seen by investigators in the inquiry.

A BBC source told the publication that during their written exchanges on WhatsApp, Amanda reportedly referred to the Italian dancer as a ‘k***head,’ a ‘d***face’ and a ‘t**t’. It comes after Amanda complained that Giovanni was verbally abusive to her during rehearsals.

"Amanda has continued to go out there and say how awful Giovanni has been to her yet she was saying things like this to him," the source told Mail Online. "She used swear words a lot, yet she has gone on the telly to say how awful things have been for her and how she had to go home and process all of ­Giovanni’s swearing."

"It is all very, very rich of Amanda to have said this, now we know the truth. It’s notable that she has chosen not to share this part of the report while going on television and giving interviews to sling mud at Giovanni," they added.

The insider also claimed that ­evidence showed ‘regular ­swearing, dark humour and jokes of a sexualised nature’ came from both Giovanni and Amanda - so much so that those around them were made to feel 'uncomfortable' by their behaviour and the way in which they spoke to one another.

"Both Amanda and Giovanni used language freely," said a BBC source. "Amanda did too and she didn’t need to be prompted by Gio at all," the source said.

The pair were partnered together on last year's series and Amanda made allegations of "bullying" and "aggressive behaviour," but professional dancer Giovanni denied "abusive or threatening behaviour".

Amanda questioned his teaching methods and described his behaviour as "unnecessary, abusive, cruel and mean" and in one interview, Amanda compared the BBC show to "the trenches" as she told Channel 4 News the broadcaster's producers had been left "horrified" by clips that proved her allegations of "humiliating behaviour of a sexual nature." The Sherlock star was on the show for several weeks but pulled out early.

Friends of Giovanni have since accused Amanda of taking things "gone too far" and attempting to "destroy" him. "Amanda went too far, what is she doing? She knows full well what was in the report, she kept referring to it during the interview, saying that she had a 30-page report with her in the studio, which she said she and her lawyer are digesting," one told the Daily Mail after Amanda's Newsnight interview.

Another commented: "When will she stop? Once again Abbington is destroying Giovanni in the media. For months, there have been stories in the papers of far more serious things Amanda says he did to her, those have not been upheld so what has she got to say about that?"

Responding to the findings of the Strictly probe last month, Amanda said that despite the vile abuse she had received, she had "never regretted coming forward" and that the apology was a "vindication" of her complaint. She went on to reveal she had been invited to meet with senior management at the BBC, which is something she is considering.

Amanda in a statement: "As the BBC has indicated today in its statement, my decision to come forward and complain about Giovanni Pernice’s conduct towards me was not an easy thing to do. In the days, weeks and months since I contacted the BBC, I’ve been accused of being a liar, a troublemaker and of being “mad and unstable”. I’ve also received rape and murder threats and a bomb threat was sent to my place of work. My family and children have also been subjected to threats and intimidation.

"Despite this vile abuse, I’ve never regretted coming forward, and today’s apology from the BBC is a vindication of my complaint. It’s not just a vindication for me, it’s a vindication for the other people who have contacted me since I made my complaint to express concerns about their own experiences on Strictly Come Dancing. I hope those who have felt unable to speak out now will be more confident that they will be listened to and believed. The BBC has invited me to meet with senior management and this is something I will now be considering.

"This apology means a great deal to me. So too does the fact that the BBC have acknowledged the steps that were put in place to support and protect me and past contestants were 'not enough'. What matters most now is that lessons have been learned and that the BBC makes the changes they’ve promised, to ensure others don’t experience the same ordeal that I and others like me did."

The BBC apologised to Amanda over complaints she made about her time on Strictly Come Dancing in 2023. After the investigation, the BBC upheld some of the complaints she made against her professional dancing partner, Giovanni Pernice, but they cleared him of other allegations.

In a statement, the BBC said that it takes allegations of bullying and harassment "very seriously", adding the review into Abbington's complaints had taken time "due to its complex nature" and in order to ensure "a rigorous and robust process".

"We have assessed the complaints and we have upheld some, but not all, of the complaints made," it said. "We want to apologise to Amanda Abbington and to thank her for coming forward and taking part. We know this would not have been an easy thing to do."

The Mirror has approached Amanda's representatives for comment on this story.

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