Amanda Abbington secures five-figure BBC settlement over Strictly complaint

Actress Amanda Abbington has received a substantial out-of-court settlement from the BBC following her legal complaint about alleged bullying and mistreatment by her professional partner Giovanni Pernice during the 2023 series of Strictly Come Dancing. The agreement, described as a five-figure sum plus a contribution to her legal fees, concludes a dispute that has been under scrutiny for nearly three years.

Abbington, who left the competition after just five weeks in 2023, later accused Pernice of creating a toxic environment and subjecting her to verbal abuse during rehearsals. She was subsequently diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder, which she described as stemming from her experience on the show. Her complaints prompted the BBC to launch an official investigation into the professional conduct on the program.

That internal review, completed in September 2024, found some of Abbington's complaints were upheld. Investigators concluded that Pernice's language towards Abbington was "belittling, dismissive, and insulting" and that his feedback was "overly negative" at times. The review also identified two instances of inappropriate sexual banter that were deemed to have...