Amanda Abbington shuts down feud rumours with Gio and says they ‘laugh a lot’
Amanda Abbington “just couldn’t cope” with the gruelling Strictly Come Dancing process, it has been claimed, following the news of the Sherlock star’s decision to quit the BBC dance show.
Last Saturday, the day she’d been expected to perform before she pulled out, the 49-year-old re-shared a quote on her Instagram Stories, declaring: “People don’t fake depression. They fake being okay. Remember that. Be kind.”
Now a show insider has claimed that she and Giovanni had been clashing over his “tough” approach to training sessions, adding: “If Amanda wasn’t very well, that wouldn’t have helped.”
The source told the Telegraph: “She was with a partner who had a certain training style that she couldn’t cope with. Whether that came to a head, or whether there is something else going on, I don’t know.”
They added: “From the very beginning [she and Giovanni] weren’t gelling. They were putting a brave face on it, but the issue was clearly not being solved.
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“It could be that she didn’t know what she let herself in for.”
Reports have also suggested that the pair disagreed over training hours, with one Instagram video earlier this month depicting Amanda jokily trying to distract Giovanni from their work schedule with two bars of Kinder chocolate.
The 33-year-old Guinness World Record holder had his mind on perfecting their routine, however, playfully said Amanda tried “tricking him” with the chocolate.
“She knows it’s going to be a long day, so she just tricked me before that. This doesn’t mean we have to [indulge],” he insisted firmly, planting a kiss on her cheek as he spoke.
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Giovanni, who won the show back in 2021 with Rose Ayling-Ellis, is said to have been hoping for a repeat performance of his last victory.
There have been reports in past years that other celebrities didn’t gel with him either, including Laura Whitmore, who once claimed she’d “cried every day” during her time on the show.
However, Amanda has consistently denied any suggestion of tension behind the scenes, taking to Instagram to say she was “ignoring the bulls***, because clearly people are t***s”.
Now, in a statement confirming her departure from the show, she has explained: “It is with deepest regret that I had to leave Strictly. I did not come to this decision easily or lightly but for personal reasons I am unable to continue.
“It was an absolute joy working with my fellow contestants, they are a beautiful, hardworking and talented group of people who I love and who I will miss seeing every Friday and Saturday and competing alongside. I want to thank the incredible Production team and everyone on Strictly who looked after me and who are so kind and caring. It’s a wonderful bunch of people and I’ll miss all of them.
“I’m so sad that I am unable to go any further. Thank you to everyone who voted and who sent wonderful messages and inspiring support. You are all amazing.”
For his part, Giovanni wrote on Instagram: “I am so sad we can’t continue but I am proud of what we achieved and I am sending you so much love.”
Express.co.uk has approached Giovanni and Amanda’s representatives for comment.
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