Amanda Abbington's true colours revealed by three words in emotional Strictly confession

Amanda Abbington spoke on camera for the first time about her Strictly Come Dancing experience in a tearful interview with Channel 4 News presenter Krishnan Guru-Murthy.

The conversation, which aired on Wednesday night, saw the Sherlock actress, 50, become emotional as she claimed she went through “bullying and aggressive” behaviour while partnered with Giovanni Pernice, 33, last year.

She also broke down while discussing the “brutal, relentless and unforgiving” backlash she has received since launching her complaint.

Giovanni, who is no longer a Strictly professional, has denied all allegations.

Body language expert Judi James has given her verdict on how Amanda showed her true colours during the interview.

She told the Express: “Amanda’s emotional undercurrents are clear from the start of this interview, which appears to be ostensibly about plugging her play (When It Happens To You).

“Her laughter and giggling during her intro are so clearly bravado-based and incongruent, as is her ‘I’m ok’ and her initially polite smile as she is asked ‘How are you?’.

“Her body pose looks tense and self-protective here, with her legs crossed away from Krishnan in a barrier ritual and her hands clasped tight in her lap. Despite her nodding about the play and her polite smiles of bravado, there are clues she is open to discussing the Strictly dramas.

“She segues between the play to her Strictly story by calling the play ‘cathartic’. Her mouth puckers and pulls in some micro-winces here as though she might be struggling, but it’s the ‘How are you?’ question that appears to draw out the signals of tearful distress.”

Unpacking the emotional moment, Judi noticed Amanda’s “brows rising” and “eyelids fluttering” as though “trying to keep back tears”.

The expert continues: “She even leans fully back and pit-bares as she smooths her hair in what looks like a calming self-stroke.

“Her tears are mainly sparked by what she calls the ‘Aftermath’ here. Her eyes move into a reflective direction as though she’s reliving the experience of the threats online and it’s her mention of her children that seems to prompt the flow of tears.”

Amanda has two children from her relationship with Martin Freeman, Joe, 18, and Grace, 16.

During the Channel 4 interview, Amanda said her children were the target of vile death threats. Asked if these came from Strictly fans, she agreed and also alleged the behaviour came from supporters of Giovanni.

She said she wants to encourage people who feel "bullied" or are in a situation they feel is "toxic and unsafe" to complain, despite the backlash she has allegedly received.

Amanda said: "I know it happened because it happened to me. I am not a sensational person... I'm not hysterical. I don't make things out to be bigger than they are.

"I know what happened to me in that room wasn't acceptable. I complained about it and sort of have not been taken seriously.

"We have to cultivate a society and an environment where women can come forward - or men because it happens to men as well - and say, 'I'm finding this uncomfortable. Can you do something about it?' And then something be done about it.”

Pernice has strongly denied her claims of "unnecessary, abusive, cruel and mean" behaviour.

Responding to the interview, his representative said in a statement: "We are co-operating fully with the BBC's review process. All parties have been asked to respect this process and to not speak to the media before it concludes.

"We will continue to respect the integrity of the investigation and believe it is the right forum for all the evidence to be reviewed. As part of the evidence-led review, the BBC has shared the allegations they have been able to substantiate with us.

"They do not resemble Amanda's latest allegations, given to Channel 4, in any shape or form. Giovanni refutes any claim of threatening or abusive behaviour, and having provided the BBC with his evidence, is confident that the review will prove this.

"We would urge people to wait for the review's conclusion and not to pay heed to these very serious and defamatory allegations that have no evidence in support of them."

Amanda Abbington’s full interview is available on Channel4.com and its YouTube channel.