Janette Manrara has spoken up about the Strictly bullying and abuse scandal ahead of the new series starting.
The former professional on the show, 40, has admitted that ‘it kills her’ to hear some people had a bad experience and admitted that some couples simply ‘don’t get along’.
The BBC flagship show has been plagued for months by allegations of ‘bullying’ and abuse by former professionals Giovanni Pernice and Graziano Di Prima to their celebrity partners Amanda Abbington and Zara McDermott.
An investigation into some claims is now ongoing and the findings are expected to be published in the coming days.
Janette told told The Mirror: ‘The controversy around Strictly has made me sad. It’s my 11th year on it and I know how hard everyone works. So when you hear someone had a bad experience it does kill you a little bit.
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Janette Manrara has spoken up about the Strictly bullying and abuse scandal ahead of the new series starting
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The BBC flagship show has been plagued for months by allegations of ‘bullying’ and abuse by former professionals Giovanni Pernice and Graziano Di Prima to their celebrity partners Amanda Abbington (seen) and Zara McDermott
‘You just want everyone to have the best time and do their absolute best. And that’s not always the case. Some couple’s just don’t get along.
‘But when it gets to the point it has done for some of these people you know it’s serious. I’m happy the BBC is taking measures so that it doesn’t happen again.’
She added that the spin-off BBC show she presents It Takes Two is a ‘safe space’ and hopes couples can open up on the show if they’ve had a tough week.
It comes as BBC bosses are reportedly racing to finish the Giovanni misconduct investigation before the new series of Strictly starts in just two weeks.
The professional dancer, 33, was paired with Sherlock actress Amanda for the long-running BBC show’s 21st series in 2023, but she abruptly withdrew just five weeks into the competition.
Giovanni has since been suspended while a BBC probe is conducted over claims of off-camera misconduct made by Abbington, 50, and two other former celebrity dance partners. Giovanni has denied the allegations.
And now it is reportedly a race against time to get the probe done and dusted ahead of the first Strictly show on September 14, claims The Sun.
They report that all the evidence has been reviewed and that we could be days away from an announcement.
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The former professional on the show, 40, has admitted that ‘it kills her’ to hear some people had a bad experience and admitted that some couples simply ‘don’t get along’
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BBC bosses are reportedly racing to finish the Giovanni misconduct investigation before the new series of Strictly Come Dancing starts in just two weeks
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She added that the spin-off BBC show she presents It Takes Two is a ‘safe space’ and hopes couples can open up on the show if they’ve had a tough week
A source told the publication: ‘The BBC is under huge pressure to get this probe done and dusted before September 14 when the new series kicks off.
‘It’s a ticking time bomb to get it done in time while not leaving any stone unturned. All evidence has been reviewed, and it is looking like we are now days away from an announcement.
‘Clearly the BBC are desperate to draw a line under all this and move on. But whatever the verdict it is clear there will be more questions for the corporation to answer and potentially even more historical complaints.’
The newspaper also claims that contestants and BBC employees have set up a WhatsApp group ahead of the announcement and that others could come out with other experiences after the findings are released.
MailOnline has contacted the BBC for comment.
Giovanni has denied the allegations.
Amanda previously said she would ‘cry and vomit’ after returning home from rehearsals with Giovanni.
Speaking to The Times, Abbington claims she has since received death threats from fans of the Italian dancer, whose long-term future on Strictly remains uncertain.
She said: ‘I’ve had the worst experience. The show was tough and horrible, but the aftermath of it I was not expecting. It’s been really brutal and it just hasn’t stopped.
‘It’s been awful, just relentless. Death threats and rape threats for just standing up for something that I thought was wrong.’
The actress also admitted she would become nauseous after completing rehearsals with Pernice, a fan favourite who had appeared on Strictly for eight years prior to his suspension.
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Janette told told The Mirror: ‘The controversy around Strictly has made me sad. It’s my 11th year on it and I know how hard everyone works. So when you hear someone had a bad experience it does kill you a little bit’
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It comes after professional dancer Graziano, 30, admitted to kicking Zara during their sessions, causing him to be sacked from the BBC series.
Amanda’s husband Jonathan Goodwin, a former escapologist who was left paralysed in 2021 after a TV stunt went horribly wrong, also corroborated her claim of physical sickness.
She added: ‘He’d go, ‘Yes, you would come home and you’d vomit, you’d cry, and you’d think you were not good enough. You were a shadow, a shell.”
The investigation that began with accusations against Giovanni has since widened after more complaints surrounding the hit show.
It has heaped further turmoil on Strictly, which is deemed to be the jewel in the Corporation’s crown and is still watched by more than ten million people.
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Source: The Wall Street Journal
