A bubbling conflict from the last series of the UK’s Strictly Come Dancing – the original show of the global Dancing with the Stars franchise – has broken through the surface with a celebrity contestant reportedly demanding she receive footage of her dance rehearsals to assist in a possible legal claim.
Sherlock actress Amanda Abbington was paired with professional dancer Giovanni Pernice for the most recent series, but only made it a few weeks into the series before she departed citing medical reasons.
Abbington did not return for the finale of the series before Christmas, amid reports of friction between the pair during rehearsals. Pernice, a former champion on the show, is known to be intensely competitive and quite the taskmaster with his celebrity partners.
Now, The Sun newspaper reports that Abbington has requested the video footage of her rehearsals with Pernice, as she takes legal advice, and that she believes the footage could support her claims about how their interactions caused her stress. A source has told the paper that Abbington has been diagnosed with PTSD.
The paper quotes a production insider saying: ““The BBC has received a request for the footage they hold of Amanda and Giovanni. It is known as a data subject access request. There is a feeling that the recordings will lift the lid on what really goes on behind the scenes. Things in rehearsals can become very tense.
Meanwhile, the paper says Abbington needed therapy after leaving the show, with an insider quoted: “It has taken her months to get over what she went through. It was a real shock as she was initially so excited to sign up to the show to learn to dance, but instead she experienced an ordeal.”
Strictly Come Dancing is one of the BBC’s most successful shows. It has just finished its 21st series in the UK, while Dancing With the Stars continues to air across the world.