Strictly Come Dancing’s Gorka Márquez praised the show for helping him build a family as the show battles a growing crisis of bullying and abuse claims.
The professional dancer, 33, who is a father of two, shares two children, Mia, four, and Thiago, 11 months, with former Hollyoaks star Gemma Atkinson, 39.
Gorka and Gemma, who have been engaged since 2021, first met in 2017 when she was partnered with his co-star pal Aljaž Škorjanec.
Despite both being on the show, the pair only got close with one another after the competition.
While Strictly has been in turmoil following Amanda Abbington’s bombshell interviews this week, Gorka called the show ‘the best on earth’.
Strictly Come Dancing’s Gorka Márquez praised the show for helping him build a family as the scandal-hit show continued to battle abuse claims (pictured in 2022)
The professional dancer, who is a father of two, shares two children, Mia, 4, and Thiago, 11 months, with Hollyoaks star Gemma Atkinson
He told the Daily Star: ‘Strictly has changed my life, if you look back and go back nine years ago, I came here to the UK for the first time to do Strictly, after never been here before, and now look at me now, I have a family, a partner, two children all because of Strictly.
‘The romance between us didn’t start until we did the tour, as on the show we only used to hang out first as a group and in rehearsals.
‘But then we were on tour after the Strictly, we had more time and would say “let’s go for a coffee” or “I’m going to the gym, can I come with you?” so then we ended up spending a lot of time together, we were like travelling every day to different cities.’
Gorka’s comments come just days after Amanda claimed that Giovanni was trying to block the release of up to 50 hours of ‘toxic’ footage’ following her bullying complaint to the BBC.
In an emotionally charged interview, the actress, 50, 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’.
The Sherlock star sensationally quit the dance competition last year citing ‘personal reasons’ before reports surfaced that she had demanded footage of her rehearsals after the experience with the show and her dance partner left her with PTSD.
Giovanni, who has strongly denied any threatening or abusive behaviour, stepped down from the show, with the BBC later launching a probe over claims of off-camera misconduct made by Amanda as well as other celebrities.
Gorka and Gemma, who have been engaged since 2021, first met in 2017 when she was partnered with his co-star pal Aljaž Škorjanec (pictured)
Gorka’s praise come just days after Strictly was plunged into further crisis after Amanda Abbington’s bombshell claims against Giovanni Pernice
Yet in a dramatic twist in the Strictly saga, the actress claimed Giovanni tried to stop her legal team from accessing the video ‘evidence’ after producers were forced to put cameras in the dance studio after Amanda raised concerns.
‘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.’
The actress said that cameras were installed into her and Giovanni’s rehearsal studio after she raised concerns after the first week of practice with producers wanting to review the footage each week to assess what was ‘going on’ between the pair.
Giovanni had claimed he had asked for the cameras, which Amanda says is untrue.
‘So in the first week, I raised my concerns to the producers,’ the actress explained, as she fought back tears.
‘Giovanni said that he asked for the cameras, he didn’t ask for the cameras, I know that he didn’t ask for the cameras, because the producers came to me and said, ‘we’re going to put in cameras so we can view the footage at the end of the week and make an assessment and see what’s going on’.
In an emotionally charged interview, the actress, 50, compared the dance show to ‘the trenches’ telling Channel 4 News that BBC producers had been left ‘horrified’ by clips
Channel 4 presenter Krishnan Guru-Murthy, who interview Amanda, also starred on the 2023 series of Strictly Come Dancing
Amanda and Krishnan Guru-Murthy pictured following her interview
‘And then every Friday, after the next sort of five weeks, I would get the producer saying, on the Friday, ‘we just watched the footage back, we are shocked and horrified, we’re so sorry’.
‘That was to my face on the Friday when we would go in and do the camera rehearsal.’
Throughout the interview, Krishnan, who also starred on the 2023 series, asked whether it was correct that Amanda had experienced ‘humiliating behaviour of a sexual nature’, with the actress holding back tears as she nodded in agreement.
‘Yeah. I mean, you know, one of the many things,’ she said, clarifying it was not harassment.
Ever since the claims first emerged Giovanni has denied all of the allegations, claiming to have provided a dossier of evidence to the Beeb investigators and ‘remains fully confident in clearing his name’.
Disputing Amanda’s claims once again following the interview, a spokesperson for the Italian dancer said: ‘The BBC has shared the allegations they have been able to substantiate with us.
Fellow Italian dancer Graziano Di Prima was suspended from the programme after he was accused of kicking and spitting at former Love Island star Zara McDermott (pictured)
Addressing his exit from the show, a ‘devastated’ Di Prima wrote on Instagram: ‘I deeply regret the events that led to my departure from Strictly’
‘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.’
The bombshell interview comes as the flagship BBC One show continues to be rocked by a string of allegations, which saw Giovanni as well as professional dancer Graziano Di Prima step down.
Giovanni was accused of bullying by Amanda as well as two other, unnamed contestants.
Graziano was axed from the show last week after allegations emerged that he kicked, hit and spat at reality TV star Zasra McDermott during rehearsals last year.
In response to Amanda’s latest interview, a spokesperson for the BBC said: ‘Anyone involved in a complaint has a right to confidentiality and fair process and therefore it would be inappropriate to comment further on individuals.’
‘As we have said before, we would urge people not to indulge in speculation. More generally, the BBC and BBC Studios takes duty of care extremely seriously.
‘Our processes on Strictly Come Dancing are updated every year, they are kept under constant review and last week we announced additional steps to further strengthen welfare and support on the show.
The BBC continued: ‘The BBC and BBC Studios takes duty of care extremely seriously…last week we announced additional steps to further strengthen welfare and support on the show.’
