Amanda Abbington, the Sherlock actress who has sparked an obligation of care scandal on Strictly Come Dancing, has criticized the BBC‘s dealing with of her considerations.
In an emotional 45-minute interview with Channel 4 Information, Abbington accused the BBC of failing to take severely her criticism about dance accomplice Giovanni Pernice, who strongly denies wrongdoing.
The actress, who appeared on Strictly final yr, claimed that the BBC is sitting on 50 hours of footage, which producers have acknowledged to her is problematic.
On Tuesday, BBC director common Tim Davie apologized to Strictly contestants who haven’t had a optimistic expertise on the present. The company is at present investigating Abbington’s criticism.
Abbington stated she complained to producers about Pernice in her first week on the present, which is called Dancing With The Stars within the U.S.
She stated BBC Studios producers determined to movie the couple’s rehearsals so they may “make an evaluation” about Pernice’s conduct on a weekly foundation.
“Each Friday after that for the following 5 weeks, I’d get the producers saying: ‘We’ve simply watched the footage again, we’re shocked and horrified, we’re so sorry.’”
Abbington informed Krishnan Guru-Murthy that she has engaged Carter Ruck, an aggressive London legislation agency, to safe compensation from the BBC for lack of earnings and emotional trauma.
Her legal professionals have been “blocked” from viewing 50 hours of footage, Abbington claimed. “He [Pernice] doesn’t need anybody to see it, which is kind of telling for those who’ve obtained nothing to cover,” she added.
Abbington has not been particular about her allegations towards Pernice, however stated she had skilled “bullying and aggressive” verbal conduct throughout her coaching and was made to really feel as if she was “not doing a superb job.”
Abbington additionally alleged that she had skilled what Guru-Murthy described as “humiliating conduct of a sexual nature.” Once more, she was not particular about what this concerned.
A spokesperson for Pernice stated he’s now aware of proof that the BBC has “been capable of substantiate” as a part of its investigation. They stated this proof doesn’t assist Abbington’s allegations “in any form or type.”
Abbington stated there have been “pockets” of coaching when Pernice “was good and he was optimistic” however it later grew to become “disastrously unworkable” and her coaching was “poisonous” and unsafe. She added: “I did one of the best I might do, I do know I labored as arduous as I might, I do know that I put in 100% dedication.”
In response to Abbington’s considerations — in addition to an allegation from fellow contestant Zara McDermott that she was kicked by her accomplice throughout coaching — the BBC has launched chaperones to the following season of Strictly Come Dancing.
Abbington was unsure whether or not chaperones would make a distinction as a result of she claimed that producers had been conscious of her considerations throughout filming. Regardless of her misgivings, Abbington stated she was happy that Strictly had not been canceled or rested as a result of it’s a “British establishment.”
A BBC spokesperson stated: “Anybody concerned in a criticism has a proper to confidentiality and truthful course of and due to this fact it could be inappropriate to remark additional on people. Nevertheless, when points are raised with us we at all times take them extraordinarily severely and have acceptable processes in place to handle this. As we’ve stated earlier than, we’d urge folks to not bask in hypothesis.
“Extra typically, the BBC and BBC Studios takes obligation of care extraordinarily severely. Our processes on Strictly Come Dancing are up to date yearly, they’re stored below fixed evaluation and final week we introduced extra steps to additional strengthen welfare and assist on the present.”
Giovanni Pernice and Amanda Abbington
BBC
A consultant for Pernice stated: “We’re cooperating absolutely with the BBC’s evaluation course of. All events have been requested to respect this course of and to not communicate to the media earlier than it concludes.
“We are going to proceed to respect the integrity of the investigation and imagine it’s the proper discussion board for all of the proof to be reviewed. As a part of the evidence-led evaluation, the BBC has shared the allegations they’ve been capable of substantiate with us.
“They don’t resemble Amanda’s newest allegations, given to Channel 4, in any form or type. Giovanni refutes any declare of threatening or abusive behaviour, and having offered the BBC together with his proof, is assured that the evaluation will show this.
“We’d urge folks to attend for the evaluation’s conclusion and to not pay heed to those very severe and defamatory allegations that haven’t any proof in assist of them.”
