Amanda alleges she suffered ‘bullying’ from pro dancer Giovanni Pernice

Amanda Abbington sat down for an interview on Lorraine today as she detailed her Strictly Come Dancing experience.

The actress, 50, has accused her Strictly pro partner Giovanni Pernice of ‘bullying’ – allegations he’s denied.

In an emotional Channel 4 interview on Wednesday, Amanda said she also experienced alleged “humiliating behaviour of a sexual nature” from the dancer. A rep for Giovanni urged people to “not to pay heed to these very serious and defamatory allegations”.

On Thursday morning, Amanda appeared on ITV’s Lorraine to further open up about her stint on the BBC show.

Amanda appeared on Lorraine today (Credit: ITV)

Amanda Abbington in Lorraine interview

Speaking to stand-in host Christine Lampard, Amanda detailed the horrific aftermath she’s suffered as a result of speaking out about her Strictly experience.

She said: “I knew that raising and voicing my concerns probably would mark me as public enemy number one, I realised that.

“But I didn’t expect the onslaught that I got – and the consistent, persistent amount of death threats and rape threats, not only to me, but to my children and members of my family – Jonathan included,” referring to her fiancé Jonathan Goodwin.

Amanda opened up about the online abuse she received after she spoke out about her Strictly experience (Credit: ITV)

Lorraine today

Amanda went on to detail some of the vile messages she received on social media. She revealed: “I’ve got screenshot after screenshot after screenshot, after screenshot. In the end, I couldn’t screenshot them all because it was starting to really affect my mental health because I was just thinking, ‘Everybody hates me and everybody wants me dead, and everybody wants me to die of cancer.’”

I’m so sorry but things like that were happening every day for eight months.

She continued: “‘Hope you die of cancer’ – quite a few of those – and quite a few, ‘I’m sitting here laughing at the thought that your daughter gets raped right in front of you’ because of what you did to Giovanni.”

Amanda then apologised to viewers watching, saying: “I’m so sorry if that’s upset anybody watching, I’m so sorry but things like that were happening every day for eight months.”

Actress Amanda claims she suffered ‘bullying’ from Giovanni on Strictly (Credit: BBC)

Amanda on concern for her children

During the chat, Amanda also said she worries about going outside.

She said: “I go outside worrying because I had messages saying, ‘Watch your back because you’re going after Giovanni‘ and I’m not. I just literally said, ‘I’m not sure this is appropriate behaviour, can we address it?’.

“That’s all I did and the onslaught that I’ve had for eight months, relentless. I’m off social media now and I don’t really go out much.

“When I do, I feel very vulnerable and very exposed. I worry about my kids, you know, I do because, 16 and 18, they don’t need their mum to go through that. They’re amazing, my children.”