BBC Director General Tim Davie is reportedly set to be dragged into the ongoing Strictly Come Dancing crisis.
The show known for its family appeal has descended into chaos in recent weeks amid various abuse probes and misconduct scandals.
Pro Graziano Di Prima, 30, was axed from the upcoming series over reports he verbally and physically abused his celebrity partner Zara McDermott, 27, during last year’s competition.
This came after another pro Giovanni Pernice, 33, was suspended from the show last month over claims of off-camera misconduct – which he denies – made by Amanda Abbington, 50, and two other former celeb partners.
And now, according to The Mirror, when the corporation’s annual report comes out on Monday the crisis is certain to be raised in the media Q&A session with boss Tim.
BBC Director General Tim Davie is reportedly set to be dragged into the ongoing Strictly Come Dancing crisis
Pro Graziano Di Prima, 30, was axed from the upcoming series over reports he verbally and physically abused his celebrity partner Zara McDermott, 27, during last year’s competition
The BBC has been contacted by MailOnline for comment.
Amanda will soon learn the ruling of the investigation she triggered after complaining her Strictly partner Giovanni bullied her in training.
But regardless of the outcome, bosses are said to be furious at the actress, who they now believe is encouraging other former contestants to engage with her lawyers over their time on the programme.
In recent weeks they think she has been urging competitors who have taken part in Strictly over the years to speak to London-based law firm Carter-Ruck in a bid to find others with allegations of a toxic environment on the show.
One BBC insider said: ‘Amanda seems to be stopping at nothing to make sure that a dark cloud is left over Strictly.
‘She seems to have a real issue with the show. She has been open about not enjoying her time, but why spoil it for everyone else?
‘It’s not looking like there is a smoking gun in her complaint about Giovanni, so now she is getting others to come forward and then later it appears in the Press so the row keeps going and going.’
Amanda is understood to have contacted actress Laila Rouass to encourage her to speak to her lawyers following an incident in 2009 when her partner Anton Du Beke, now a judge on the show, described her as ‘looking like a p***’ after she had a spray tan.
This came after another pro Giovanni Pernice , 33, was suspended from the show last month over claims of off-camera misconduct – which he denies – made by Amanda Abbington, 50, and two other former celeb partners
Anton Du Beke, 57, reduced contestant Laila Rouass to tears when he jokingly told her she ‘looked like a P***’ after her spray tan during the 2009 series (pictured on the series together)
Amanda Abbington claimed dancer Giovanni was ‘abusive, cruel and mean’ (pictured in January 2023)
Strictly staff are outraged and s
ay that much of the behaviour that is not as serious as Graziano hitting and kicking Zara also risks diluting actual complaints.
One said: ‘How is Amanda whipping up incidents of a few raised voices or something that happened 15 years ago helping the real issues of bullying?’
Meanwhile, the Mail recently revealed that those aware of the details of the evidence-led probe into Mr Pernice say they believe the allegations are unlikely to be found proven.
It paves the way for the professional dancer, who has strongly denied any misconduct towards Ms Abbington, to be cleared three months after the inquiry began.
With judgement said to be just days away, Ms Abbington took the unusual step of speaking to The Sun on Sunday regarding Mr Pernice’s alleged behaviour.
Her critics believe that she did the interview ‘to once again damage’ the Italian dancer as he is widely expected to be cleared of bullying her.
Ms Abbington, who told the newspaper she suffered from PTSD as a result of the show earlier this year, claims Mr Pernice was ‘abusive, cruel and mean.’ However, she didn’t give any examples of his behaviour.
She said that she had made the complaint because ‘I couldn’t sit back and let him do that to other people’, despite knowing she would suffer a ‘backlash’.
She added: ‘I would not have been able to live with myself for the sake of future people going on that show.’
Mr Pernice hit back at her interview, with his spokesman telling the Mail: ‘The BBC has shared allegations from the inquiry with Giovanni, who has cooperated fully. None of the allegations carried in the Sun on Sunday are included in any shape or form.
‘Giovanni refutes these allegations and denies any accusations of abusive or threatening behaviour. He has provided substantive evidence to the investigation and he remains fully confident of clearing his name.’
One source said: ‘Amanda clearly feels very hard done by in all of this and is getting ahead of things in case the ruling doesn’t go as she wants.’
The fallout is set to rumble on this week as the professional dancers begin their training for the new series today.
Last week The Mail on Sunday revealed that Mr Di Prima was fired for gross misconduct after kicking and hitting Ms McDermott. His sacking was prompted by a group of production staff presenting BBC chiefs with a video of him assaulting her.
Giovanni, 33, was suspended while a BBC probe is underway over allegations made by Amanda and two other former celebrity partners (pictured in June)
His sacking was prompted by a group of production staff presenting BBC chiefs with a video of him assaulting her
Zara released a statement which stated that while much of her time on Strictly ‘was everything I could have dreamt of’ inside the training room there were ‘particular incidents which are incredibly distressing’
Previous complaints had been made to the Corporation about his verbal abuse and he was warned twice, yet he was invited on the post-show tour and was unveiled as a member of the professional dancer cast for the forthcoming series.
Since then old footage of former pros James Jordan and Brendan Cole being abrasive towards their celebrity partners has re-emerged online.
In one clip Mr Jordan is seen threatening to drag actress Georgina Bouzova along the floor and scream at her if she didn’t stand on her left leg. Meanwhile Mr Cole was bellowing at actress Claire King back in 2006.
Pro dancer Nadiya Bychkova has also made a complaint about the show to BBC bosses.
