Amanda Abbington wants 'everyone to move on' from her Strictly Come Dancing row
Amanda Abbington wants "everyone to move on" from her 'Strictly Come Dancing' row after Giovanni Pernice was cleared of most of the allegations she made against him.
Amanda Abbington wants "everyone to move on" from her 'Strictly Come Dancing' row.
The 51-year-old actress made a shock exit from the show just weeks into the competition in 2023 and later accused her professional partner Giovanni Pernice of subjecting her to "vile abuse" during rehearsals but has insisted that even though it was one of the "hardest years" of her life, she "doesn't regret" any of it.
Speaking on ITV's 'This Morning', she said: "It's been tricky yes. It was. We don't wanna go over old ground because that's what done and I'm happy with what happened. Well, not happy. But I don't regret what happened. It's time to move on for everyone. It was one of the hardest years of my entire life and having to battle that was tricky. But it's good, onwards."
Following an investigation by the BBC, Giovanni was cleared of the most serious accusations made against him and the broadcaster issued a formal apology to Amanda.
Meanwhile, the former 'Sherlock' star has been engaged to Jonathan Goodwin since 2021 but confirmed that the plans for the wedding are "on hold", although she is hopeful that the nuptials will take place in 2026 instead.
She said: "They have [gone on hold]. We just want to get this year out of the way, things are hanging over us. So we want to get this year out the way and then have a celebration. I love him with al my heart and he's been such a rock, and is so inspiring every day.
"He's wonderful and we have, even last year, going through everything that I went through, he made me laugh every single day and he's my heart."
Amanda - who has Joe, 19, and 16-year-old Grace with ex-husband Martin Freeman - is now starring in '(This Is Not a) Happy Roo' at the King’s Head Theatre in London and joked that while she must concentrate fully now that she is getting older, the play has "lots of wonderful twists" in it and she is enjoying the audiences.
She said: "You're always on it. I can't, as I'm getting older I can't drift. I used to think 'Oh I wonder what I'm having for dinner when I get home.' Each audience is really different so you feed off that. Thank God there's a payoff for her, there really is and you're left conflicted. There are lots of wonderful twists in it."
