- Author, Charlotte Gallagher
- Role, Cultural journalist
TV presenter Laura Whitmore has claimed she was the victim of “inappropriate behaviour” on her show Strictly Come Dancing.
The former Love Island presenter teamed up with professional dancer Giovanni Pernice in 2016 and was the seventh celebrity eliminated.
Whitmore, who injured her ankle during the show, said she “expressed her concerns” at the time.
Pernice has previously denied allegations of “threatening or abusive behavior” made by Sherlock actress Amanda Abbington, who was his partner in 2023.
In an Instagram story posted Saturday, Whitmore wrote: “I’ve been trying not to comment on recent press speculation until the BBC investigation is complete, but I feel there is a lot of misinformation in the press and I want to help and show my support by setting the record straight.”
The 39-year-old said she was asked to speak to the BBC along with six other people, whom she did not name, about “inappropriate behaviour they experienced, similar to mine, with the same individual”.
Whitmore does not name the “individual” in his statement.
“I first expressed my concerns in 2016,” she wrote. “I thought my experience was unique to me, but I have since learned that I was wrong.”
“The goal is to show a pattern of behavior that I believe needs to stop.”
She said: “I’m not looking for anything, just acceptance that what happened to me in the rehearsal rooms during my time on BBC Strictly was wrong and it won’t happen to anyone else.”
The TV presenter later said she had not made a formal complaint and was providing evidence of her experience to support the BBC’s investigation.
“I know the BBC and all media continue to do their best to improve, but to do that we have to speak out,” she said.
The BBC press office said it did not comment on Whitmore’s claims.
Pernice has also been contacted for comment. Earlier, a spokesperson for the 33-year-old dancer said: “We are fully cooperating with the BBC’s review process…
“Giovanni denies any allegations of threatening or abusive behaviour and, having provided his evidence to the BBC, he is confident that the investigation will prove this.”
Pernice will not return to the series this year.
His spokesman admitted that Di Prima kicked his partner Zara McDermott during a rehearsal last year.
Di Prima said he deeply regretted “the events that led to my departure from Strictly” and that his “intense passion and determination to win could have affected my training schedule”.
A previous statement from the company said: “Anyone involved in a complaint has a right to confidentiality and a fair process and it would therefore be inappropriate to make further comments about individuals.
“However, when issues are brought to our attention, we always take them very seriously and have appropriate processes in place to manage them.
“As we have said before, we urge people not to engage in speculation.
“More generally, the BBC and BBC Studios take duty of care very seriously.
“Our processes on Strictly Come Dancing are updated every year, they are constantly reviewed and last week we announced additional measures to further strengthen wellbeing and support on the show.”
Davie said he was “disappointed” to learn that several celebrities had complained about how their dance partners treated them during rehearsals.
He added that the BBC would “never tolerate unacceptable behaviour of any kind”.