Irish TV presenter Laura Whitmore has said she felt “gaslit” when she first raised concerns about her Strictly Come Dancing experience.
The former Love Island host was partnered with professional dancer Giovanni Pernice in 2016, and was the seventh celebrity eliminated from the BBC show.
It comes after allegations made by another former Strictly star, Amanda Abbington, who said that the behaviour of Pernice, whom she was partnered with in 2023, was “unnecessary, abusive, cruel and mean”.
Pernice has rejected “any suggestion of abusive or threatening behaviour”.
Strictly star Laura Whitmore said she tried to speak about 'stuff' 8 years ago
Speaking to the Irish Times, Whitmore, from Dublin, said: “The stuff I’m not going to talk to you about now, because it’s under review, that’s all coming out now, the stuff I tried to speak about eight years ago.”
Asked if she felt she had not been listened to when she first aired her concerns, she clarified: “Or (I was) gaslit to make it seem normalised.”
Whitmore added: “It’s a shame that it has to come out in such a victim-shaming way, which it always does. And being the first person to speak up about anything is always hard.”
The 39-year-old said in a social media post last month that she had been asked to speak to the BBC about allegations of “inappropriate behaviour”, along with six other people.
Top 10 Best British TV Series
Recommended reading:
- BBC Strictly's Krishnan Guru-Murthy ‘raised concerns’ about Amanda Abbington
- ‘The line should never be crossed’ – BBC boss apologises to Strictly contestants
- Strictly judge Craig Revel Horwood speaks out over dancer allegations
In the Instagram post (as reported by The Mirror) she previously revealed: "I was trying not to comment on recent press speculation until the BBC review is complete but feel there is a lot of misinformation in the press and I want to help and show support by setting the record straight.
"I was asked to speak to the BBC along with six people that I know of (who deserve anonymity as they don't want to be dragged through the press), about inappropriate behaviour they experienced similar to mine with the same individual. I initially raised concerns back in 2016. I thought my experience was specific to me but I've since learned I was wrong.
"The aim of this is to show a pattern of behaviour that I believe needs to stop. My evidence is to support other people's experience. It's a shame it takes this for someone to be heard. I am not looking for anything just an acceptance that what happened to me in the rehearsal rooms during my time on BBC Strictly was wrong and that it won't happen to anyone else again. Because I have not made an official complaint, and am providing evidence of my experience to support the investigation, not all the communication will be passed on to all parties involved."
The mum-of-one who is married to comedian Ian Stirling added: “Misinformation is being put into the press so l want to set the record straight. Victim blaming must stop or we will never get better. I've tried to speak up in the correct way. I know the BBC and all outlets continue to do their best to be better, but for that to happen we must speak up."
Newsquest has approached the BBC for comment.
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here