Amanda Abbington traces up high lawyer Persephone Bridgman

The BBC has thrown their assist behind Giovanni Pernice by plugging his new prime time present – because the Strictly dancer is hit by a contemporary disaster.

The broadcaster promoted his newest Bromance sequence with Anton Du Beke only a day after three of his ex dance companions reportedly met to talk about their tough experiences working with him.

It additionally comes as his former Strictly accomplice Amanda Abbington has reportedly lined up high lawyer Persephone Bridgman Baker to demand rehearsal footage as her battle in opposition to Strictly and Giovanni, 33, continues.

The Sherlock actress, 52, give up Strictly again in October as a consequence of ‘private causes’ amid claims of a feud between her and Giovanni.

Reports then emerged she demanded footage of their rehearsals after the expertise within the competitors left her with PTSD. 

But exhibiting assist for Giovanni on Sunday the BBC marketed Anton & Giovanni’s Adventures in Spain on Instagram simply hours after the contemporary claims had been revealed.

Sharing a video of the dancing duo speaking about their upcoming programme, the caption learn: ‘Dancing, singing, Anton and Giovanni know how one can carry out! But what occurred in Benidorm… stays in Benidorm.

‘Head to @bbcpressoffice hyperlink in bio and hit Interviews to get all of the behind the scenes tales – and discover out which star joined them on their Adventures in Spain!

‘Watch Anton & Giovanni’s Adventures in Spain on and BBC One from Monday 18 March at 9pm.’

It comes as The Sun now claims that Amanda is working with skilled lawyer Persephone as she helps her put together a authorized letter to the BBC to help her acquiring the rehearsal footage.

A supply advised the publication: ‘Amanda is lining up a widely known lawyer to assist her acquire entry to the rehearsal tapes of her and Giovanni with the purpose of reviewing them.’

On the web site of her lawyer agency Carter-Ruck it says: ‘Persephone specialises in media and popularity administration work, encompassing defamation, privateness and harassment, along with information safety and mental property litigation.’

The BBC and Amanda have been contacted by MailOnline for remark.

On Saturday Giovanni was hit by a contemporary disaster, after it was claimed that three of his former movie star companions met to debate their tough experiences working with him.

Sources declare Amanda, Ranvir Singh and Laura Whitmore had an ’emotional summit’ the place they ‘in contrast notes’ about their time working with the Italian dancer on the BBC present.

Ranvir complained about Giovanni to producers again in 2020, throughout their time on the present, whereas Laura mentioned she ‘cried every single day’ and felt ‘uncomfortable’ whereas dancing with him in 2016.

Sources claimed that whereas ‘tears had been shed,’ the trio additionally mentioned the prospect of ‘formally’ complaining to the BBC about Giovanni’s behaviour.

An insider advised The Sun: ‘There is each risk all three might take it additional and formally complain to the BBC, however for now they’re comforting one another.’

‘Only a handful of individuals will perceive what it is wish to be educated by Giovanni and within the business he’s considered a ”perfectionist”.

They added: ‘There is a few shock that the BBC seems to be doing nothing. Like Amanda, Ranvir additionally flagged a problem throughout coaching with Giovanni and mentioned she was sad.’ 

However, a supply near Giovanni advised the publication: ‘Gio finds a few of these allegations deeply unfair and offensive. He believes he is achieved nothing incorrect, and easily needs to get the very best out of his companions.’

A consultant for the BBC declined to remark to The Sun. MailOnline has contacted representatives for the BBC, Giovanni Pernice, Laura Whitmore, Ranvir Singh and Amanda Abbington for remark. 

The BBC mentioned earlier this yr that they’d not be investigating Giovanni’s behaviour with Amanda, with a spokesperson saying: ‘There is a continuing dialogue between the senior manufacturing workforce and contestants to make sure any issues are addressed swiftly.’

In 2016, former Love Island host Laura Whitmore mentioned she ‘cried every single day’ and felt ‘uncomfortable’ whereas coaching with him.

She later wrote for HuffPost UK in 2018: ‘I’m nonetheless not prepared to speak in depth about my expertise on the present.

‘I used to be positioned with a dance accomplice I used to be extraordinarily uncomfortable with and in the long run I felt damaged, I cried every single day. And I actually was damaged, each mentally and bodily, by the tip.’

It’s additionally thought that Giovanni clashed along with his 2018 movie star accomplice Faye Tozer, whereas his 2022 accomplice Richie Anderson has unfollowed him on Instagram. 

Giovanni, who’s at the moment on tour along with his stage present and is ready to star with Anton Du Beke in a journey sequence on Monday, hinted final month he’d return to Strictly later this yr for the final time.

However a Strictly spokesman mentioned they’d make an announcement in ‘due course.’

This comes simply hours after Giovanni broke his silence on Amanda‘s explosive exit from the BBC present. 

Speaking on The Mirror’s Invite Only podcast alongside fellow dancer Anton Du Beke he mentioned: ‘It’s a disgrace as a result of, for my part, [Amanda] might have gone all the way in which.’

While decide Anton added: ‘I assumed you and Amanda had been marvellous. I assumed you had been terrific’ and in contrast the Sherlock actress’ skills to 2019 winner Kelvin Fletcher. 

Following accusations of his ‘militant’ instructing model Giovanni admitted that was a ‘perfectionist’ however mentioned it got here from a ‘perspective of caring’ and that he believed all different skilled dancers had been the identical. 

Saying: ‘In each single a part of the world, when you’re an expert dancer on certainly one of these [Strictly] reveals, you need to get these folks trying the very best they will on Saturday evening’. 

‘And if now we have good scores on the finish, I do look again and say, ‘I’ve achieved a terrific job’. But all of us care about our companions and we wish that for them each single week; to look nice on a Saturday’. 

He continued: ‘There’s no particular approach that you’re, or must be along with your movie star. You profit from their strengths so the one factor that is fixed is the truth that you need to do a present on Saturday evening.’ 

It comes after MailOnline solely revealed that Amanda had dropped her criticism to the BBC and had not contacted the Corporation on the matter additional. 

Sources on the BBC mentioned that the ‘matter is now closed’ and so they have ‘moved on’ after she requested to assessment the recordings of their off-screen dancing after she left the sequence, citing ‘private causes.’

Amanda was additionally looking for authorized recommendation over Giovanni’s alleged behaviour in direction of her, believing video footage might ‘again up’ her claims.

It is known that the primary BBC chiefs knew about her PTSD late final yr after they obtained a request for the tapes.

One present insider advised the Mail: ‘The entire factor was baffling however when Amanda contacted the BBC, she needed some solutions.

‘But she hasn’t adopted it via and the matter is now closed. Amanda mentioned she left for a medical purpose on the time, however that was not PTSD.

‘Her criticism was after all checked out however they had been adamant that Giovanni had achieved nothing incorrect. The BBC had been able to battle her, Amanda’s purpose for quitting Strictly was a completely totally different one to her PTSD.

‘She advised manufacturing of a completely totally different medical situation and so they [were] massively supportive of her and did all they may to assist.’

Amanda left the present throughout week 5 in October. It has reportedly taken months for her to get well from her time on the programme and she or he has apparently wanted remedy following the ‘behaviour she was uncovered to.’

Speaking about her situation, Amanda advised The Sun: ‘I used to be identified with gentle PTSD after Strictly for a number of causes and I advised just a few folks about that, within the utmost confidence, amongst different issues that had been taking place in my life on the time each professionally and personally.’

A BBC spokesman declined to remark on the time.

Amanda was praised by the judges for her performances throughout her time on the present however it was claimed she was struggling behind the scenes.

An inside supply advised The Telegraph: ‘It may very well be that she did not know what she let herself in for.

‘He [Giovanni] was fairly powerful and she or he discovered that tough. If she wasn’t very properly, that would not have helped.

‘She was with a accomplice that had a sure coaching model that she could not deal with. Whether that got here to a head or whether or not there’s one thing else occurring I do not know.’

Giovanni’s mother and father mentioned the dancer ‘was simply doing his job’ following Amanda’s shock departure from Strictly.

Addressing the information on the time, Giovanni’s father Piero and mom Rosalda admitted that their son ‘educated for lengthy hours however was simply doing his job’.

Twinkle-toed star Giovanni was reportedly solely given the information of Amanda’s exit just a few hours earlier than the official assertion was launched.

A supply advised the Daily Star: ‘Amanda did not inform Giovanni she had determined to give up the present. The first he heard was a name from a producer.

‘This has actually aggravated him. He’s barely heard from her for 10 days. She hasn’t been replying to messages or telling him what’s taking place.

‘He’s been complaining about it to buddies. He’s pissed off. He is frightened the drama can be damaging for his profession and make him look dangerous.’

Amanda snubbed the present’s December closing which noticed the celebrities of the yr’s sequence that had beforehand been eradicated got here collectively to do a gaggle dance and have a good time with the winner. 

A supply advised The Mirror of why she would not be there: ‘They needed to place her as nonetheless very a lot a part of the Strictly household, however Amanda’s response to the invitation was she’d not be again.

‘It’s a disgrace, as a result of her exit has been a bitter observe to the sequence this yr.’

The Strictly insider added her snub has been ‘tough’ and upsetting for Giovanni as he does not need folks to see it ‘as a mirrored image on him.’

They added while the pair typically ‘clashed’ Giovanni needs her all the very best.