- Amanda Abbington suddenly left last year's series for 'personal reasons'
BBC bosses were left baffled by Amanda Abbington's request for footage of her Strictly rehearsals – after she claimed her time on the show had caused her to develop post-traumatic stress disorder.
The 51-year-old former contestant suddenly left last year's series for “personal reasons”.
It was reported that she quit after an argument with her dance partner Giovanni Pernice, 33 – but she denied claims of a conflict at the time.
But now Ms Abbington is said to want to view footage of their time together to seek legal advice about the dancer's alleged behavior towards her, as she believes video footage could “support” her claims.
Sources at the BBC are prepared to clash with the Sherlock actress over her claims that the show traumatized her, saying she told them at the time she was quitting for another medical reason.
A source told the Mail: “Amanda's reason for leaving Strictly was completely different to her post-traumatic stress disorder.”
“She told production about a completely different health condition and them.” [were] were very supportive and did everything they could to help.
“Nobody seems to really understand what’s going on here.”
Abbington and Pernice during their appearance on Saturday's live show for BBC1's Strictly Come Dancing last year before the former contestant suddenly left
Amanda Abbington and Giovanni Pernice rehearsed last year. The “Sherlock” star now says she left because of post-traumatic stress disorder and demanded recordings of her rehearsals
It is understood BBC bosses first learned of her post-traumatic stress disorder late last year when they received a request for the tapes.
Adding to the confusion, Ms Abbington quickly dismissed suggestions that she and Pernice had fallen out before the show aired in September.
On Instagram, she dismissed the claims as “nonsense” and urged people: “Shut up, this is nonsense.”
During the broadcasts, she and Pernice – who has worked on the show since 2015 – were seen hugging and appearing like friends.
A Strictly source said: “All you could see in the studio was the two of them hugging and kissing.”
Ms Abbington left the show in the fifth week of October. It reportedly took months for her to recover from her time in the program and she apparently needed therapy after the “behavior she was subjected to.”
A source told The Sun: “Everyone else had a fantastic time, but she was really stressed about having to spend eight hours a day with Giovanni. “She cried a lot and couldn't sleep or eat properly.”
The partners are said to have argued for weeks during rehearsals and the actress was “shocked” by the professional dancer’s “militant and aggressive” training style.
Pernice is known as a “perfectionist” and it's not the first time he's had problems with his celebrity partners. In 2016, TV presenter Laura Whitmore said: “I'm still not ready to talk in detail about my experiences on the show.”
“I was given a dance partner that I was extremely uncomfortable with and I ended up feeling broken and crying every day. “And in the end I was really broken, both mentally and physically.”
Strictly Come Dancing star Amanda Abbington has reportedly demanded her bosses release footage of her rehearsals with Giovanni Pernice after an altercation while working together
Amanda reposted a fan's comment on her Instagram Stories. The Strictly viewer said: “I was really upset by her sudden departure from the show.”
In 2020, Pernice fell out with Good Morning Britain presenter Ranvir Singh when she admitted she had a “complete breakdown” during rehearsals with him.
The ITV presenter told her co-star Kate Garraway that she and the dancer had a “20-minute divorce” when things got tense in training.
She said the grueling rehearsals pushed her to go out and take some time to collect herself after Pernice “put me in my place.”
Ms Abbington has been contacted for comment. Pernice declined to comment.