Strictly's Shirley Ballas issues cryptic post hours after Amanda Abbington's bombshell claims
Shirley Ballas issued a cryptic post after Amanda Abbington's bombshell interview
CHANNEL 4/BBC
Strictly Come Dancing judge Shirley Ballas issued a cryptic post on her Instagram story last night, just hours after Amanda Abbington's explosive first interview where she began to unravel everything that took place during her time on the show.
Abbington left the series during week five and first noted it was because of a medical injury - however, last night she told Murphy that the injury is what pushed her over the edge and solidified her decision to leave after suffering weeks of "bullying" from Giovanni Pernice.
She claimed that her previous diagnosis of PTSD was brought to the forefront once again every time she stepped into the rehearsal room with Pernice - and admitted she complained within the first week of training.
The 33-year-old dancer has continued to deny the claims made against him and has had the full support of colleagues Anton Du Beke as they continue their tour and head judge Shirley Ballas.
Whilst promoting her new book - Murder on the Dancefloor - Ballas backed her friend and said: "I don't condone bullying on any path but also I don't believe gossip and what you read in the newspapers because things get escalated and they are blown way out of all proportion and it can turn into a great big snowball.
"So my feeling for Giovanni is, let them do this investigation or whatever it is they are doing and the truth will come out. So we don’t judge anybody until we know absolutely 100 per cent. I won’t pass on the gossip unless I know 100 per cent it is true.
Shirley Ballas posted the quote on her Instagram story
"I have never ever, ever experienced any ill will or bad feeling or bad sportsmanship or rudeness from him. He will be missed."
She seemed to once again throw her support behind her long-term friend on Wednesday night and posted a cryptic quote to her Instagram story which read: "Surround yourself with people who fight for you in rooms you aren't in."
Ballas added the caption: "Goodnight lovely humans who are in my life, you know who you are." (sic)
During her chat with Guru-Murphy last night, Abbington explained: "Yeah it hasn't been easy. You start to think, well you know, am I going mad? But as you know I am not mad. It's been brutal relentless and unforgiving. The aftermath has been something that I wasn't expecting.
Shirley Ballas has continued to publicly support Giovanni Pernice
"I went into it thinking this is going to be hard work, it is a challenge, there will be an element of hard work and I am a grafter. I also thought there would be a time to laugh, I wasn't expecting this.
"I can't go into too much detail because the complaint is ongoing. At the moment they are gathering evidence from the BBC and witnesses and choreographers and other witnesses who have been on the show in the past.
"I didn't want to rock the boat, I wanted it to look like it was ok. I will always take the blame for things and I would check myself and think I am not going mad and I am not seeing this in other rooms and everyone else was having a nice time and I wasn't.
"There is 50 hours of footage that is being blocked. 50 hours is a lot of footage and a lot of time spent in a room that was toxic. In the first week, I raised my concerns to the producers and they quickly said they would put in a camera.
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Giovanni Pernice's spokesperson released a fresh statement today after Amanda Abbington's bombshell claims
BBC
"Giovanni said he asked for them but he didn't. I know he didn't. Every Friday for the five weeks I would get the producers saying they had watched the footage and they were shocked and would apologise.
"There is evidence out there of what happened in that room and I am not blocking it. It is bullying and aggressive behaviour and other things that were quite upsetting that you would manage as a woman."
Pernice has continued to deny all claims and is adamant to clear his name, with a spokesperson for Giovanni saying today: "We are cooperating 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."