Strictly stars Giovanni Pernice and Amanda Abbington have hit headlines recently following claims that Amanda was diagnosed with PTSD following her stint on the hit BBC show.
However, this disastrous ending to their relationship hasn’t come out of nowhere. There were plenty of signs that their partnership was doomed, right from the very start…
Amanda’s old comments come back to haunt her
As soon as Amanda was announced to be taking part in the show, there was a backlash. The 49-year-old made remarks that some deemed “transphobic”.
Back in March, Amanda hit out at footage of a baby sensory and cabaret show for parents and their babies. The footage showed a person dancing in boots and a bondage harness. At the time, Amanda said the show was “not for babies” and said that “if you think it is, there is something fundamentally wrong with you”.
Some branded Amanda “transphobic” over her comments and declared that they would be boycotting Strictly while she was on it.
Amanda was forced to deny the transphobia accusations. She insisted that she “isn’t transphobic” and is a “firm supporter” of the trans community.
However, some viewers held grudges and expressed sympathy with Giovanni for having Amanda as a partner.
“I love watching Giovanni dance so much, such a shame about who his partner is this year though,” one fan said at the time. “Giovanni would have chemistry with a broom I swear. That’s all I have to say, and he’s lucky it’s not vote out, or we’d not see him much this year with *that* partner,” another said.
Feud rumours before week one
Things went from bad to worse for Giovanni and Amanda. The duo were rumoured to already be feuding, just days before the first performance of the series.
“Sometimes his manner is incredibly brusque and this can upset his partners. Amanda was really looking forward to dancing with him, but has found his aggressive training style and attitude pretty difficult to handle,” a source told The Sun in September.
“He is quite militant in his approach to training. She’s been left very shaken, and has liaised with her team about quitting,” they then said.
“It has become far more stressful than she ever imagined and at the moment things between them are incredibly tense. That being said — and somewhat ironically — they actually dance very well together. The hope is they talk things through and wave the white flag,” they then continued.
Amanda, however, responded to the rumours with an expletive-filled video. “Ignoring the [bleep] because clearly people are [bleep]. Just stop it, stop it, grow up. No one gives a [bleep]. Shut up, it’s [bleep], so [bleep] off,” she fumed.
James Jordan brands Strictly stars Giovanni and Amanda ‘fake’
Whilst Amanda and Giovanni were putting on a united front in public, one former Strictly star claimed he could see right through it.
“I get left feeling cold when I watch them. I don’t feel invested in them as a partnership,” James Jordan said in his HELLO! magazine podcast.
“It almost feels fake. Like the facial expressions and everything – it doesn’t feel like it’s coming from internally. As a couple I don’t really like it at the moment there’s something not working,” he then added.
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Amanda Abbington quits – and fails to mention Giovanni in her exit statement
Just a few weeks into the competition, Amanda called quits on her time on the show.
In a statement on Instagram, she gushed over her Strictly experience but failed to mention Giovanni at all. “It is with deepest regret that I had to leave Strictly. I did not come to this decision easily or lightly but for personal reasons, I am unable to continue,” she wrote.
“It was an absolute joy working with my fellow contestants, they are a beautiful, hardworking and talented group of people who I love and who I will miss seeing every Friday and Saturday and competing alongside,” she then said.
“I want to thank the incredible Production team and everyone on Strictly who looked after me and who are so kind and caring. It’s a wonderful bunch of people and I’ll miss all of them.”
Giovanni, meanwhile, posted on Instagram, writing: “Amanda…I am so sad we can’t continue but I am proud of what we achieved and I am sending you so much love”.
Amanda not invited to the final
When the final of Strictly 2023 came around, Amanda was nowhere to be seen. It was claimed that she hadn’t been invited back.
“There was a lot of talk on set about Amanda’s notable absence from the finale,” a source told The Mirror.
“It seemed unfair that Nigel [Harman] was invited back and she wasn’t. I imagine she was upset by the snub. It would have been nice to have seen her return for one last dance. Especially as she was so popular on the show and well-liked by viewers.”
Amanda Abbington legal advice amid claims she developed PTSD from Giovanni
Earlier this week, it was reported that Amanda had demanded the BBC send her footage from her rehearsals with Giovanni. It is claimed that Amanda – who has reportedly taken legal advice – believes the footage will back up her claims about Giovanni’s behaviour.
“There is a feeling that the recordings will lift the lid on what really goes on behind the scenes on Strictly. Things in rehearsals can become very tense. Giovanni is a perfectionist and he can be incredibly full-on,” a source told The Sun. Gio
A pal of Amanda also claimed that the Sherlock star has developed PTSD from her time on the show.
“Everyone else was having a fabulous time, but she was really stressed by having to spend eight hours a day with Giovanni. She spent a lot of time crying and couldn’t sleep or eat properly,” they claimed.
Read more: BBC bosses ‘supporting Giovanni Pernice amid Strictly Amanda Abbington furore’
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