BBC star claims Strictly contestants are forced into hiding 'nasty abuse' on show
Strictly Come Dancing pros Giovanni Pernice and Graziano Di Prima have both been dropped from the BBC series after allegations of abuse were made against them.
A BBC star has claimed that Strictly Come Dancing contestants are forced to keep "physical and verbal" abuse they endure on the show a secret.
Amanda Abbington, who appeared on the BBC show in 2023, accused Giovanni Pernice of bullying her during his "militant" training sessions. The actress reportedly demanded footage from their rehearsals and revealed she was diagnosed with mild PTSD after she quit the series midway through.
Giovanni, 34, has denied all allegations against him. Meanwhile, Graziano Di Prima has now been accused of "gross misconduct" towards his 2023 partner Zara McDermott. He is alleged to have "repeatedly kicked and hit" the former Love Island star during training.
It has now been claimed that past contestants on the show have been silenced by signing contracts, which prevents them from speaking about the show in a negative light.
Fi Glover, who worked for the BBC for 29 years, told The Sun: "They sign a contract that means that they show Strictly in a very positive way.
"I think it’s been incredibly difficult for contestants to say things that we now realise they should have been able to say — which is that they were made to feel uncomfortable. And in these cases which are now emerging, there was really nasty physical and verbal abuse going on."
Zara, 27, released a statement after it was revealed that Graziano had been axed from Strictly. The documentary maker admitted she "wrestled with the fear of opening up" about her experiences.
She explained: "I was scared about public backlash, I was scared about my future, I was scared of victim shaming." Despite saying her Strictly experience was everything she could have dreamed of, Zara admitted things were different in training.
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Zara added: "However, my experience inside the training room was very different. Reports have been made about my treatment on the show and there were witnesses to some events, as well as videos of particular incidents which are incredibly distressing to watch."
In a statement confirming his exit, Graziano said: "I deeply regret the events that led to my departure. My intense passion and determination to win might have affected my training regime. Respecting the BBC HR process, I understand that it’s best for the show if I step away."
He added: "While there are aspects of this story involving external influences that I can’t discuss at this time, I remain committed to being strong for my family and friends. I wish the Strictly family and the BBC nothing but success in the future."
