BBC apologises to Amanda Abbington as Strictly bullying report released
The BBC's investigation has cleared Giovanni Pernice of the most serious allegations.
The BBC has issued an apology to Amanda Abbington after its investigation into claims made by the actress against former Strictly Come Dancing professional dancer Giovanni Pernice.
As per BBC News, complaints of verbal bullying and harassment were upheld by the report, but claims of physical aggression and threatening behaviour were not.
Abbington called the apology a "vindication of [her] complaint", while a spokesperson for Pernice said that he was "pleased" the report "has not found any evidence of threatening or abusive behaviour" by him.
Having now concluded its review into the complaints, the BBC's statement read: "We take any allegations of bullying and harassment very seriously and this review has taken time due to its complex nature and our desire to ensure a rigorous and robust process was undertaken.
"Strictly Come Dancing is a family show and we rightly expect very high standards. While competition can be tough, rigorous and demanding, we want the show to ultimately be a joyous and transformative experience. It is a great shame if this hasn’t been the case for everyone who has appeared on the show."
It continued: "We have assessed the complaints and we have upheld some, but not all, of the complaints made. 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.
"At the time, although the production team took steps to address the issues as they understood them, ultimately these were not enough. This is why the measures we have taken to further strengthen our existing protocols are so important.
"The BBC heard from a number of individuals in making its findings. We want to thank them for participating. The BBC has already taken extensive steps to enhance our duty of care for everyone on the show and a full note of these steps is published alongside this statement."
Meanwhile, Abbington said 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."
As part of its duty of care measures released alongside the statement, the BBC said: "The BBC and BBC Studios takes duty of care extremely seriously. We want Strictly to be a positive experience for everyone involved.
"That is why our welfare and support processes on Strictly are kept under constant review and updated each year."
Read more:
- Amanda Abbington claims Giovanni Pernice "doesn't want anyone to see" 50 hours of "blocked" Strictly footage
- Amanda Abbington 'went to Strictly producers early on' over Giovanni Pernice's alleged behaviour
It continued: "In July we introduced new measures for training and rehearsals, which are in place for this year’s show. These included a production team member present during training room rehearsals at all times; two new roles on the show dedicated to welfare support – a Celebrity Welfare Producer and a Professional Dancer Welfare Producer (both started work in August); and additional training for the professional dancers, production team and crew.
"In addition we introduced 15 training room observers in place for rehearsals. They complete daily training logs – including covering breaks, warm-ups and rest periods."
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Sherlock actress Abbington had accused Pernice of being "unnecessary, abusive, cruel and mean" during their rehearsals. Pernice had consistently denied any allegations of "abusive or threatening behaviour" towards his former dance partners, saying that they were "totally untrue".
Speaking publicly on his Instagram back in June, Pernice said: "As you know, I have always rejected any suggestion of abusive or threatening behaviour. The latest accusations are simply false. I am cooperating fully with the ongoing BBC investigation, which will determine the truth.
"As requested, I have stayed silent, but I am looking forward to the conclusion of the investigation and ultimately clearing my name and establishing the truth."
Strictly Come Dancing 2024 continues every Saturday night on BBC One and iPlayer.
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