Strictly dancer Janette Manrara breaks silence following contestant's 'life-changing' injury claims
22 July 2024, 15:34
Strictly pro dancer Janette Manara has broken her silence after Paralympian Will Bayley claimed she made him redo a jump that caused a lifelong injury
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Paralympian table tennis player Will Bayley has said he'll have to live with excruciating knee pain 'forever' after sustaining an injury during rehearsals with Janette.
A BBC spokesperson for the It Takes Two host said the professional dancer has never received any complaints" regarding her training methods.
A representative for Janette told the BBC: "Janette had a great time dancing with Will and one of her favourite moments on the show was doing their contemporary couples choice.
"Her celebrity partner’s safety and enjoyment was always the priority throughout her time on Strictly.
"Janette has never received any complaints and has maintained friendships with all her partners, including Will."
Will, 36, was born with arthrogryposis which limits the range of motion in the joints of his limbs and completed the move with straight knees.
Yesterday he said he sustained the injury during rehearsals for the show in 2019 when he jumped from a table, it was his second attempt at the move after Janette said his first was 'rubbish'.
Will told The Sun: “Now feels like the right time to speak up. I hope what I went through never happens to anyone else.
"I think the show thought they were being inclusive by casting me, but I actually felt pressured.
“I have got a serious disability and I don’t think anyone was really looking out for me when I injured myself, leaving me with injuries that still affect me to this day.
“No one has ever contacted me from the BBC or said sorry.
“There was no duty of care — I should have been taken to hospital as soon as I had the accident, but all they cared about was trying to get me to dance.”
Following the comments made by Will, the BBC said in a statement to The Mirror: "We have longstanding protocols for dealing with injuries if they occur and that includes contestants receiving all necessary treatment and support as required."
After Graziano di Prima admitted to kicking his celebrity partner Zara McDermott during a training session and Amanda Abbington made claims about another Strictly dancer, Giovanni Pernice, and his training style, the BBC confirmed earlier this week that they would be doing additional steps to "strengthen welfare and support".
A statement from the BBC said: "The BBC is today announcing additional steps to strengthen welfare and support on Strictly Come Dancing. Concerns that have arisen in recent months have been fundamentally about training and rehearsals. The actions we announce today are designed to address that."
