Strictly Come Dancing issued an apology to Amanda Abbington after she accused her co-star Giovanni Pernice of “abusive, cruel and mean” behavior during her time on the show.
Abbington, 50, competed in season 21 of the BBC show last year but quit mid-season and then accused Pernice, 34, of harassing her backstage. She expressed her concerns to the network, which investigated the complaints and issued a statement on Monday, September 30 regarding its findings.
“We have evaluated the complaints and have upheld some, but not all, complaints,” the BBC said in a statement shared with PEOPLE. “We want to apologize to Amanda Abbington and thank her for coming forward and participating. We know this would not have been easy to do.”
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“We take all allegations of bullying and harassment very seriously and this review has taken some time due to its complex nature and our desire to ensure a rigorous and robust process,” the statement continued.
“Strictly Come Dancing is a family show and we rightly expect very high standards. Although the competition can be difficult, rigorous and demanding, we want the show to ultimately be a joyful and transformative experience. It’s a great shame if that wasn’t the case for everyone who appeared on the show.”
PEOPLE has reached out to Pernice’s representatives for comment.
Giovanni Pernice and Amanda Abbington on Strictly Come Dancing.
Ray Burniston/BBC/PA Wire
In July, Abbington detailed her experience Strictly — predecessor of Dancing with the stars — in an interview with Sunsaying she “thought long and hard about filing a complaint because I knew the reaction I would get.”
“I couldn’t stand back and let him do this to others,” she said of how Pernice treated her.
The Sherlock the actress also claimed that the BBC “knew about Giovanni’s behavior for years, people complained about him and flagged his behavior to producers in the past and nothing was done.”
“It wasn’t an isolated experience with me. I should never have danced with him.”
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Amanda Abbington arrives at the UK premiere of ‘Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One’ on June 22, 2023.
Ian West/PA Images/Getty
Pernice issued various denials on Instagram, and in one statement he wrote that he “rejects[s] any suggestion of abusive or threatening behavior” and “looks forward to being cleared up [his] name.”
A few days after he was not included in the squad for Strictly Come Dancingseason 2024, issued another statement on Instagram and said he was “cooperating fully with the BBC’s ongoing investigation, which will establish the truth”.
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When the BBC’s annual report was released in July, Tim Davie, the network’s chief executive, addressed the backlash Strictly Come Dancing was confronted as he said he was “disappointed” to learn that several celebrities felt abused by their professional partners on the show.
“We never tolerate unacceptable behavior of any kind,” he said as he promised “changes” to the show, which included a production member attending all rehearsals, two dedicated welfare producers on site and additional training for the production team and crew.
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