Amanda Abbington opens up on handling scrutiny ahead of Strictly

"I think you can choose to manage it, I do," she told press including RadioTimes.com. "I think you can kind of manage how much you want to give away.

"Me and ex-partner [Martin Freeman] never had our children shown out in public up until the age where they wanted to do it. So I think you can manage it yourself and decide how much you want to show people and, like, how much you want to let them in.

"But this [Strictly] does kind of catapult you, which I find really funny. But it's such a huge show that I kind of understand. You can hide away or you can give yourself over, it’s up to you!"

Last month, Amanda posted a video on Instagram defending herself from accusations of transphobia following a backlash after she was announced as part of the Strictly 2023 line-up, which saw some fans calling for a boycott of the show due to her casting.

She defended comments she previously made on Twitter (recently rebranded as X), saying she thought the negative response to news of her participation in Strictly was due to "a tweet [she] made back in March regarding a drag show".

The Sherlock actress went on to say she "loves[s]" drag, and that it is a "brilliant" art-form, but that her tweet was regarding a "12-year-old who was doing it in front of adults", adding: "Personally speaking, I don't think 12-year-olds should be performing in drag shows in overtly sexual ways."

She also said she didn't associate the tweet with the trans community and that she is "not transphobic", telling fans: "I’m not a transphobic person. I am a firm supporter of the legitimate trans community; I always have been."

Amanda also issued an apology, seemingly for a comment she previously made on Twitter, which said: "You cannot have a penis and be referred to as a woman."

"I made a stupid comment a few years ago. I was ill-informed. I apologised and did my research and I’m much more informed now," she said in the video.

"I’ve said stupid things, of course I have, and instantly regretted them. Everybody is learning."

The Strictly Come Dancing launch show airs Saturday 16th September at 6:35pm on BBC One. Check out our TV Guide or Streaming Guide or visit our Entertainment hub for the latest news.

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