Actress Amanda Abbington has received a substantial five-figure payout from BBC Studios following a legal complaint over her experience on Strictly Come Dancing.
The out-of-court settlement includes a contribution to her legal fees from BBC Studios. The agreement was reached to prevent a lengthy court battle and allow Abbington to put the ordeal behind her after she was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder.
The 53-year-old actress made a shock exit from the BBC competition just weeks into the 2023 series. She subsequently accused her professional dance partner Giovanni Pernice of subjecting her to vile abuse during rehearsal sessions.
A source told The Sun on Sunday newspaper: "Amanda's friends and family are all relieved for her that this ordeal is finally over. It's been a long, hard journey, but now she can close this chapter and move on with her life."
The source added: "The fact the BBC have compensated Amanda as well as previously publicly apologising really proves that they are taking responsibility for the bullying she suffered on set. She hopes that this case will give others strength and encourage people to speak up."
Representatives for Abbington were contacted by the Daily Mail for comment on the settlement. Representatives for the BBC declined to comment when approached.
BBC Inquiry Findings and Formal Apology
Following an official investigation into the complaints, the BBC issued a formal apology to Abbington. The broadcaster cleared Pernice of the most serious accusations made against him.
The investigation report found that some of the language used by Pernice toward Abbington could be belittling. The report agreed with the Mr Selfridge actress that his feedback was, at times, overly negative and that he had used profanity during rehearsals.
Investigators reviewed several hours of rehearsal footage as part of the official inquiry. The report noted there were two moments of inappropriate behaviour of sexual banter in the workplace, which were found to simply have been made and received as jokes between the pair.
Cancer Scare and Exit Details
The Sherlock actress previously admitted she was relieved when a cancer scare led to her quitting the competition in 2023.
Speaking to The Sun on Sunday, Abbington said: "By my final week, on the Thursday morning, I was in the shower and I found two lumps. I'd got the all-clear after a mammogram a couple of months before."
She continued: "I went in for rehearsals to do the cha-cha-cha and just couldn't concentrate. Giovanni said, 'There's no point teaching you this because it's not going in. You can't get it. We'll be lucky if we get through because you're useless'."
Abbington recalled: "He refused to even look at me so I went to the toilet, came back and said, 'I'm going to go to the hospital now because I found two lumps in my breast this morning'."
She added: "Then he was great. He said, 'Well, let me know how it goes. It was the catalyst I'd been sort of waiting for, which is terrible. But that's what I was thinking, that it was a healthier option than being in that room. I've championed breast cancer charities but there was a part of me that was like, 'OK, I have to deal with this now instead. Phew.'"
Background on Amanda Abbington and Strictly
Amanda Abbington is a British actress known for her role as Mary Morstan in the BBC television series Sherlock and as Miss Mardle in the period drama Mr Selfridge.
Strictly Come Dancing is a major British television dance contest produced by BBC Studios, pairing celebrities with professional dancers in a weekly competition.
