Amanda Abbington was comforted by a friend after being spotted in tears during a girl’s get together in London.
The 50-year-old Mr Selfridge and Sherlock star looked like things had got too much as she was hugged by actress pal Sue Vincent outside celeb hangout The Groucho Club in Soho on Wednesday afternoon.
It comes after Amanda sensationally quit last year’s Strictly Come Dancing. At the time she said she was quitting the BBC show for ‘personal reasons’. But she has since accused her pro partner Giovanni Pernice of abusive behaviour and claims his training methods left her "broken and in tears" and with “mild Post Traumatic Stress Disorder”.
Giovanni, who quit Strictly last month after nine years on the show, has denied the claims against him and vowed to clear his name. The 33-year-old took to social media to brand the stories about him as “totally untrue”. Though, as well as Amanda, other former celebrity partners have also made claims against him.
Amanda looked visibly upset as she met pals for a girls get together (TOPSTAR-WJ Images/BACKGRID)
She was given lots of hugs as she arrived at London's celeb hangout, The Grouch Club (TOPSTAR-WJ Images/BACKGRID)One of them is that he ‘grabbed his crotch’ during rehearsals – something he also denied. The star - who lifted the Glitterball trophy with Rose Ayling-Ellis in 2019 – told his 1.1 millon Instagram followers: "To my fans and followers, Every week, there are totally untrue stories about me in the media. As you know, I have always rejected any suggestion of abusive or threatening behaviour. The latest accusations are simply false.
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"I am cooperating fully with the ongoing investigation, which will determine the truth. As requested, I have stayed silent, but I am looking forward to the conclusion of the investigation and ultimately clearing my name and establishing the truth. I am so happy to be back on tour. Thank you all for your continued support – you messages and love mean so very much to me. I will hopefully see many of you very soon and I look forward to clearing my name. With love, Giovanni."
While Amanda was seen crying outside a members’ club, Giovanni – who is now facing legal action from Amanda and two other unnamed women - looked like things were taking a toll on him too. Earlier this week, the Italian dancer was seen chain-smoking in the street and entering two casinos before midday. Though he has already parted ways with Strictly, the BBC have yet to confirm if they are carrying out their own investigation.
Amanda was seen being comforted following her fallout with former Strictly partner Giovanni Pernice (TOPSTAR-WJ Images/BACKGRID)But Strictly's head judge threw her support behind the embattled dancer earlier this week, insisting: "The truth will come out." Defending Giovanni, she went on to say that she's never seen him act inappropriately and mentioned he'll be sorely missed on the upcoming series of the hit BBC programme.
She said: "I know he is a hard worker. He wants the people to do the very best that they can do. Obviously in my life I was bullied a lot. I don't condone bullying on any path but also I don't believe gossip and what you read in the newspapers because things get escalated and they are blown way out of all proportion and it can turn into a great big snowball. So my feeling for Giovanni is, let them do this investigation or whatever it is they are doing and the truth will come out. So we don't judge anybody until I know absolutely 100 per cent. I won't pass on the gossip unless I know 100 per cent it is true. I have never ever, ever experienced any ill will or bad feeling or bad sportsmanship or rudeness from him. He will be missed."
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