Strictly Come Dancing: How the saga unfolded on the BBC’s hit show

Strictly Come Dancing has been one of the BBC’s most iconic and beloved shows for the past 20 years.

But it has been hitting the headlines for all the wrong reasons, amid allegations concerning two of its professional dancers.

Both men – Giovanni Pernice and Graziano Di Prima – have now left the show.

Pernice has denied any suggestions of abusive or threatening behaviour during rehearsals.

Di Prima’s spokesman has confirmed the star kicked celebrity partner Zara McDermott once during rehearsals last year.

The BBC, for its part, has insisted it has robust duty of care procedures, which it has bolstered with a string of new measures including giving stars chaperones in rehearsals.

But the saga has raised question marks over what’s really happening behind the scenes.

Here’s how events have unfolded over the past year.

The Sherlock actress pulls out of the show in week six, having missed the previous weekend’s show for medical reasons.

Abbington was paired with Italian professional dancer Giovanni Pernice.

A day after the BBC announced that Abbington had withdrawn, the star takes to Instagram to express her “deepest regret” at having to leave.

Her post cites “personal reasons” for being “unable to continue”.

She adds that she “did not come to this decision easily or lightly… I’m so sad I am unable to go any further”.

Pernice also comments on Instagram, writing: “I am so sad we can’t continue but I am proud of what we achieved and I am sending you so much love.”

Pernice says he is “surprised” by media reports about his teaching methods and rejects “any suggestion of abusive or threatening behaviour”.

The dancer adds that he was looking forward to clearing his name.

Legal firm Carter Ruck says it contacted the BBC regarding “numerous serious complaints” about his alleged behaviour while filming Strictly.

It is widely reported Abbington had experienced difficulties with Pernice.

The BBC promises to handle any complaints with “care, fairness and sensitivity” to all sides, following reports about Pernice’s teaching methods.

The BBC issues a statement addressing “media reports about a high profile show”, which was believed to concern Strictly.

It is confirmed that Pernice will not return to Strictly Come Dancing for the next series.

The BBC does not announce the star as part of its line-up of professional dancers for 2024, following reports that he would not compete.

Di Prima confirms that he is leaving the show.

In a statement on Instagram, he says he “deeply regrets” the events leading up to his departure and acknowledged that his “intense passion and determination to win might have affected my training regime”.

A BBC spokesperson confirms Di Prima is “no longer a part of the line-up of professional dancers for the upcoming series”.

Last year, Di Prima danced with TV presenter Zara McDermott.

McDermott posts a statement that says she was involved in incidents in the Strictly training room that she now finds “incredibly distressing” to watch back.

The former Love Island star and documentary maker also says she had “wrestled with the fear of opening up” about her experiences because “I was scared about public backlash, I was scared about my future, I was scared of victim shaming”.

The BBC subsequently announces it will put a member of production staff in all future rehearsals.

There will also be two new dedicated welfare producers, as part of a string of extra measures.

The spokesman for Graziano Di Prima confirms the star kicked celebrity partner Zara McDermott once during rehearsals last year, which led to his removal from the show.

“There is never a time when kicking, or any sense of that is right,” Mark Borkowski tells BBC News. “And he knows that.

“He knows he’s made a mistake. He apologised at the time.”

McDermott’s spokesman tells BBC News: “It’s a matter of public record that the BBC deemed the conduct to be so severe that they removed him from the show immediately.

“Zara has already confirmed in a statement released on her social media earlier this week that the reported conduct was not a singular incident.”

Amanda Abbington says she found her former Strictly Come Dancing dance partner Giovanni Pernice’s alleged behaviour “unnecessary, abusive, cruel and mean”.

The actress tells the Sun on Sunday she feared a backlash if she complained and claimed the BBC had known about Pernice’s behaviour for years.

She also does interviews with Channel 4 News and ITV’s Lorraine later in the week, describing her Strictly training room as “a toxic environment”.

Pernice’s spokesperson says he refuted the allegations and denied any accusations of abusive or threatening behaviour.

The BBC says it “takes duty of care extremely seriously” and has “appropriate processes in place to manage” any issues that are raised.

The BBC’s director general, Tim Davie, apologises to Strictly Come Dancing contestants who have had negative experiences on the show.

Speaking at the launch of the BBC’s annual report, he says he’s “disappointed” to hear that several celebrity contestants had complained.

The show’s professionals should not cross the line between being competitive and “unacceptable behaviour”, he warns – but does confirm the show will return.

“There will be a degree of competitiveness and will to do well, but there are limits and the line should never be crossed. We never tolerate unacceptable behaviour of any kind.”

Television presenter Laura Whitmore alleges she was subjected to “inappropriate behaviour” while on Strictly.

The former Love Island host was partnered with Giovanni Pernice in 2016, and was the seventh celebrity eliminated.

Whitmore, who had an ankle injury during the show, says she “raised concerns” at the time.

Pernice had previously rejected “threatening or abusive behaviour” allegations made by Abbington.

BBC News speaks to 15 current and former members of staff on the show about its culture behind the scenes.

Some tell a positive story of dancers and staff who were kind and respectful to them. But others painted a picture of a workplace in which workers were bullied and junior employees were shouted at by professional dancers.

A BBC Studios spokesperson says they don’t recognise the claims, nor will “hundreds of production personnel” who have worked across the two decades the show has been on air.

They apologise if anyone didn’t feel able to raise their experiences at the time, adding: “The welfare and safety of our crew on each series has always been, and remains, our utmost priority.”

The BBC apologises to Amanda Abbington and upholds some of her complaints against her 2023 Strictly dance partner Giovanni Pernice, but cleared him of the most serious allegations.

While complaints of verbal bullying and harassment were upheld, claims of physical aggression were not, BBC News understands.

The Sherlock actress calls the BBC’s apology a “vindication” of her complaint and said she hoped others would now feel “more confident” that they would be believed.

A spokesperson for Pernice says he was “pleased” the review “has not found any evidence of threatening or abusive behaviour” by him.