Amanda Abbington gives a thumbs up and proudly shows off cryptic phone sticker which reads 'we all have to make sacrifices' amid Strictly's investigation into her allegations of 'abusive behaviour'
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Amanda Abbington appeared in high spirits as she arrived for theatre rehearsals in London on Tuesday amid Strictly's investigation into her allegations of 'abusive behaviour'.
Amanda quit the show in October last year citing 'personal reasons' before reports quickly surfaced that she had demanded footage of her rehearsals, claiming the show and Giovanni Pernice had left her with PTSD.
Giovanni, who has strongly denied any threatening or abusive behaviour, was later suspended, with the BBC later launching a probe over claims of off-camera misconduct made by Amanda as well as other celebrities.
But despite the ongoing investigation, Amanda remains upbeat as she flashed a smile and gave a thumbs while out in the sun.
The sherlock star, 50, proudly showed off a ballet shoe keyring and a cryptic phone sticker which read: 'we all have to make sacrifices'.
Amanda Abbington appeared in high spirits as she arrived for theatre rehearsals in London on Tuesday amid Strictly's investigation into her allegations of 'abusive behaviour'
The sherlock star, 50, proudly showed off a ballet shoe keyring and a cryptic phone sticker which read: 'we all have to make sacrifices'
Amanda cited 'personal reasons' for leaving the BBC show last October but it was later revealed she had demanded footage of her rehearsals after the experience with the show and her dance partner Giovanni Pernice left her with PTSD
Amanda looked chic in a summery white and blue linen dress, teamed with matching trainers and a tote bag.
Giovanni faces multiple accusations of unsavoury behaviour while working as a professional dancer on the show, with former celebrity partner Laura Whitmore recently admitting she too has spoken to the BBC.
Although she hasn't made a formal complaint, Whitmore, 39, hopes to get 'just an acceptance' of what happened to her in the rehearsals room.
The former Love Island presenter admitted she talked to six former Strictly stars about their time on the show and took their information to the BBC.
In an Instagram post, she wrote: 'I was trying not to comment on recent press speculation until the BBC review is complete but feel there is a lot of misinformation in the press and I want to help and show support by setting the record straight.
'I was asked to speak to the BBC along with six people that I know of (who deserve anonymity as they don't want to be dragged through the press), about inappropriate behaviour they experienced similar to mine with the same individual.
'I initially raised concerns back in 2016. I thought my experience was specific to me but I've since learned I was wrong.
Despite the ongoing investigation, Amanda remains upbeat as she flashed a smile and gave a thumbs while out in the sun
Amanda looked chic in a summery white and blue linen dress, teamed with matching trainers and a tote bag
Amanda quit Strictly last year due to 'personal reasons' before reports she had demanded footage of their rehearsals after the experience in the competition left her with PTSD
Sources then claimed the actress, Ranvir Singh and Whitmore had an 'emotional summit' where they 'compared notes' about their time working with Pernice on the show
'The aim of this is to show a pattern of behaviour that I believe needs to stop. My evidence is to support other people's experience. It's a shame it takes this for someone to be heard.
'I am not looking for anything just an acceptance that what happened to me in the rehearsal rooms during my time on BBC Strictly was wrong and that it won't happen to anyone else again.
'Because I have not made an official complaint, and am providing evidence of my experience to support the investigation, not all the communication will be passed on to all parties involved.
'Misinformation is being put into the press so I want to set the record straight. Victim blaming must stop or we will never get better.
'I've tried to speak up in the correct way. I know the BBC and all outlets continue to do their best to be better, but for that to happen we must speak up.'
Abbington - his last celebrity partner - quit Strictly last year due to 'personal reasons' before reports she had demanded footage of their rehearsals after the experience in the competition left her with PTSD.
Sources then claimed the actress, Ranvir Singh and Whitmore had an 'emotional summit' where they 'compared notes' about their time working with Pernice on the show - prompting the BBC to launch a probe into his conduct.
The Italian ballroom specialist lost his place on the beleaguered show after former celebrity contestant Amanda Abbington accused him of 'bullying and abusive' behaviour
In an emotionally charged interview, Abbington doubled down on her previous allegations of backstage abuse on Strictly Come Dancing
In 2018, Whitmore claimed she didn't enjoy her time on Strictly, leaving the competition in week seven feeling 'broken' and admitting she 'cried every day'.
The Irish presenter wasn't happy about being paired with her close friend Georgia May Foote's ex not long after the pair had split - and felt 'extremely uncomfortable' dancing with him.
Writing for The Huffington Post at the time, she said: 'I love dancing – I topped the leaderboard twice – but I was thrown into the middle of a break-up that had nothing to do with me. Once again, I was a "rumoured love interest".
'I was placed with a dance partner I was extremely uncomfortable with – and in the end I felt broken, I cried every day. And I really was broken, both mentally and physically, by the end.'
Strictly was plunged into further crisis on Wednesday after Abbington claimed that Pernice was trying to block the release of up to 50 hours of 'toxic' footage '.
In an emotionally charged interview, the actress compared the dance show to 'the trenches' telling Channel 4 News that BBC producers had been left 'horrified' by clips that also allegedly exhibited 'humiliating behaviour of a sexual nature '.
Former celebrity partner Laura Whitmore recently admitted that she too has spoken to the BBC
The former Love Island presenter admitted she talked to six former Strictly stars about their time on the show and took their information to the BBC
'There's 50 hours of footage that's being blocked. You know, 50 hours is a lot of footage, and a lot of time spent in a room that was toxic,' she told presenter Krishnan Guru-Murthy.
'It's out there. There is evidence out there of what happened in that room and I'm not the one who's blocking it.
'I've said anyone can watch it, but he (Giovanni) doesn't want anyone to see it, which is quite telling if he's got nothing to hide.'
A spokesperson for Giovanni told MailOnline: '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.'
