Amanda Abbington, the actress known for her role in the BBC series Sherlock, made headlines once again as she addressed what she described as "the hardest year of my entire life" during her appearance on This Morning. The 51-year-old star reflected on her tumultuous experience on Strictly Come Dancing and the ensuing investigation by the BBC, which upheld some of her complaints against her former dance partner Giovanni Pernice.
During the interview on Monday, March 17, 2025, Abbington spoke candidly about the emotional strain she endured after alleging bullying and misconduct from Pernice throughout their time on the dancing competition. "It's been tricky," she said, adding, "We don’t want to go over old ground obviously, because that's done and I'm happy with what happened. Well, not happy, but I don't regret what happened. It's time to move on for everybody now." Her voice shook as she continued, "It was one of the hardest years of my entire life, and having to battle through it was tricky, but it's good, onwards."
Abbington's exit from the 2023 series of Strictly caused quite the stir, especially following her allegations against Pernice, where she accused him of subjecting her to verbal abuse and creating a toxic environment during rehearsals. The BBC investigated her claims extensively, concluding their review in September 2024. The findings revealed they upheld "some but not all" of Abbington's complaints, recognizing instances of harassment but finding no evidence of physical aggression.
On the show, Abbington expressed gratitude for the BBC's acknowledgment, branding the apology as "a vindication" of her experience. "What matters most now is lessons have been learned," she affirmed, underscoring her hope for systemic changes within the production.
Despite the challenges, Abbington remains optimistic about her future with her partner Jonathan Goodwin, whom she has been engaged to since 2021. Goodwin, famous for his appearance on Britain's Got Talent, was tragically injured in 2021 during a rehearsal for America's Got Talent: Extreme, which left him paralyzed from the waist down. During her interview, Abbington revealed their wedding plans had been delayed until 2026. "We just want to get this year out of the way," she said. "We've still got things hanging over us in terms of litigation and stuff like with various things. So we want to get this year out of the way fully, and then focus on having a wonderful celebration next year."
When asked about his support's role throughout her tribulations, Abbington grew emotional, stating, "I love him with all my heart. He has been such a rock and is so incredibly inspiring every day. Even last year, going through everything I went through, he made me laugh every single day and is just wonderful."
Abbington also talked about her children, Joe and Grace, from her previous marriage with actor Martin Freeman, both of whom are following their parents' footsteps toward acting. She expressed pride for them, emphasizing the importance of honesty about their talents. "I would be honored to work with any of them. They are really good. If they weren't good actors, I'd say maybe you should try something else. But they are good at it and they're modest, and I'm very proud of them," Abbington shared.
Chris Deeley noted during the interview how well Abbington seemed compared to her previous appearances. Abbington credited her happiness to having recently adopted 11 puppies, adding humorously, "Thank God there's payoff for her, there really is and you're left conflicted. There are lots of wonderful twists." The actress is currently starring in (This Is Not A) Happy Room, premiering at the King’s Head Theatre on March 26, which she described as "joyful" and exciting.
The fallout from the investigation has led to significant changes within Strictly Come Dancing, prompting the BBC to update its duty of care policies. Now, there will be chaperones present during practice sessions to safeguard contestants against potential misconduct.
Giovanni Pernice, for his part, spoke about the relief from the investigation outcome during his own interviews. The dancer rejected any claims of abusive behavior, stating, "It’s over. It’s finished. Six months, seven months of all of this. But today I’m happy because at the beginning there were very serious allegations thrown out at me but as of today, none of the serious allegations have been upheld. All of the threatening, abusive, harassment behavior allegations have not been upheld."
While he expressed satisfaction over the findings, he also acknowledged the mental toll the investigation took, concluding, "I can carry on to do what I was born to do, and I love to do, which is entertain all of you, because this is my life."
Through her challenges, Amanda Abbington has made it clear she wants to move forward rather than dwell on the past. "It is time to move on for everybody now," she emphasized, sharing hope for others facing similar experiences to have the confidence to speak out, highlighting the need to keep pushing for change.
