Amanda Abbington fought back tears on This Morning as she recalled “the hardest year of her entire life” following the Strictly Come Dancing controversy.
The 51-year-old actress appeared on the ITV programme on Monday to discuss her new play with hosts Ben Shephard and Cat Deeley.
During the emotional interview, Abbington addressed the scandal that erupted last year involving her professional dance partner Giovanni Pernice and became visibly emotional as she reflected on the difficult period that followed her allegations against the dancer.
Despite the controversy, Abbington maintained a defiant stance on This Morning and said: “It has been tricky. We don’t want to go over old ground and I don’t regret what happened. It’s time to move on.
“It was one of the hardest years of my entire life,” she said, her voice starting to crack, with her comment echoing her most recent to The Times where she insisted she has “no regrets” about standing up for herself.
Giovanni denied all allegations made against him, though the BBC’s investigation reportedly upheld claims of verbal bullying and harassment, with the broadcaster subsequently apologising to Abbington following the investigation.
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In her recent Times interview, Abbington revealed the depth of her struggle. “Last year was one of the worst years of my entire life. I was very close to having a breakdown because of the constant barrage of abuse and hideousness,” she shared.
She explained that when she made her accusations, she was “thanked and hugged by so many women”, which she noted was a welcome change from the numerous threats she received on social media.
Abbington reflected on feeling like “the villain” during the controversy with Giovanni and added: “I don’t know what the industry thinks of me at the moment. I’ve been immersed in the aftermath of it all for a year. I don’t know whether I’ve been cancelled or whether people don’t like me any more.”
Despite this uncertainty, she remains steadfast in her decision: “I know I did what I did for the right reasons,” she said. “I feel good about the future.”
Looking ahead, Abbington is focusing on new projects that bring her joy, such as her play – This Is Not A Happy Room – which begins later this month, marking a return to the stage.
She is also celebrating her son Joe’s budding acting career and added to Deely and Shephard: “[Joe] is starring in Stephen King’s adaptation of The Institute.
“He didn’t want me and his dad to be part of it, he didn’t tell anybody. His instincts are completely there as an actor. I would be honoured to work with him. I would tell him if he was bad, it wouldn’t be fair.”
The actress explained that her experience of being “bullied extensively” as a child gave her the push to take action and noted how “introverted” people become when being bullied.
With the ordeal now behind her, Abbington told The Times she can finally say she’s “actually happy” now and is looking forward to moving on with her life.
The actress shared that she has “learnt a lot” about herself through this experience and now feels able to “block certain things” that she couldn’t before.
Best known for playing Miss Mardle in Mr Selfridge and Mary Watson in Sherlock, Abbington is embracing this new chapter.
It seems both personally and professionally, Abbington is ready for a fresh start.
