Amanda Abbington 'snubbed' by Strictly bosses after star fails to make cut for live tour

15 January 2024, 11:57 | Updated: 15 January 2024, 12:09

By Sukhmani Sethi

@SukhmaniSethi

Amanda Abbington has been left “fuming” after being denied a place on the Strictly Come Dancing Tour.

The actress, 51, claimed she was suffering from PTSD after her previous appearance on the show, which saw her paired with professional dancer Giovanni Pernice, before quitting the programme due to “personal issues”.

The Sherlock star is now “furious” after learning that she will not be invited to take part in the live tour, covering 21 dates next year.

One source told The Mirror: “Amanda made it clear she was desperate to have a slot. It was a real blow for her and she was fuming. She felt snubbed.”

Abbington failed to come back for the Strictly final in October last year in week five of the celebrity dancing competition.

Despite receiving positive feedback and praise for her dazzling performances, Abbington quit after claiming that she was struggling behind the scenes, with “full-on” and “tense” rehearsals with her 33-year-old Italian dance partner.

The actress reportedly grew frustrated with Pernice’s “militant approach to training”, with her experience on the show being “plagued by difficulties”.

One source told The Telegraph: “It could be that she didn't know what she let herself in for.“He [Giovanni] was quite tough and she found that difficult. If she wasn't very well, that wouldn't have helped.

“She was with a partner that had a certain training style that she couldn't cope with. Whether that came to a head or whether there's something else going on I don't know.

”Abbington is now demanding the BBC to hand over footage of rehearsals to prove her claims of the “tense” relationship with Pernice during the demanding rehearsals.

An on-set source told The Sun: “The BBC have 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 on Strictly. Things in rehearsals can become very tense.

“Giovanni is a perfectionist and he can be incredibly full-on.”

BBC sources claim that Abbington had left the show unexpectedly for an entirely different medical reason.

According to an insider, Pernice was made aware that Abbington had decided not to return to the show just hours before the official statement was put out for fans.

The BBC released a statement that read: “The BBC offers a comprehensive range of support to all individuals taking part in our shows.

“Strictly Come Dancing has always taken duty of care incredibly seriously and there is a constant dialogue between senior members of the production team and the contestants to ensure any concerns are addressed swiftly.

”The spokesperson from the broadcaster told The Sun: “Strictly has a proud track record as a joyful, positive experience where robust support and assistance is always made available at every stage of the production.”

Abbington split from Sherlock co-star Martin Freeman in 2016 after the pair met on the set of the film Men Only in 2000. The couple share two children, a son Joe, and a daughter Grace.

The actress found love again when she met daredevil escapologist Jonathan Goodwin, 43, in 2021 and were engaged in just a few days of the whirlwind romance. Goodwin was left paralysed after being crushed by two cars on fire in a stunt that went horrifically wrong.