“We want to apologise to Amanda Abbington and to thank her for coming forward and taking part. We know this would not have been an easy thing to do,” the BBC said at the time.
It is understood that complaints relating to verbal bullying and harassment were upheld. The review made no findings of physical aggression.
Pernice has consistently rejected allegations that he behaved in a threatening or abusive manner. After the BBC concluded its investigation, he welcomed the fact that some of the complaints against him had not been upheld.
That distinction has remained central to the dispute: the BBC accepted that aspects of Abbington’s treatment warranted an apology, while its investigation did not substantiate every allegation made against Pernice.
Abbington had left open the possibility of legal action
The five-figure payment follows comments from Abbington in October 2024 in which she said she had not ruled out taking legal action against the BBC.
The settlement was reached out of court, according to PA Media, and was paid by BBC Studios. That means the money did not come from the licence fee paid by households to fund BBC services.
No further details of the agreement, including its precise value or any additional terms, have been disclosed.
The BBC’s decision not to comment leaves the settlement itself considerably less detailed than the controversy that preceded it. After almost two years of public argument, the final financial arrangement appears to have been handled rather more quietly.
Strictly changed its rehearsal safeguards after the controversy
The fallout from Abbington’s complaints extended beyond her dispute with Pernice.
Following its review, the BBC announced a series of measures intended to strengthen welfare protections for contestants and professional dancers. Among them was the introduction of a chaperone who would be present “at all times” during training-room rehearsals.
Pernice was not included in the Strictly professional lineup for 2024. He subsequently joined Ballando Con Le Stelle, the Italian version of the programme, and won the competition with actor and singer Bianca Guaccero.
The changes came as the BBC faced broader scrutiny over how participants were treated behind the scenes on a programme better known to viewers for sequins, scoring paddles and Saturday-night choreography than workplace complaints.
Strictly is preparing for a substantially changed 2026 series
The settlement arrives as Strictly prepares to return in September with a notably different cast both in front of and behind the judging desk.
Emma Willis, Josh Widdicombe and former professional dancer Johannes Radebe are set to take over hosting duties from Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman.
The BBC has also announced five new professional dancers: Aleksandra Isaeva, Cristian Priori, Lethabo Monametsi, Maddie Ingoldsby and Mark Karmalita.
Celebrity contestants confirmed for the 2026 series include former Love Island winner Dani Dyer-Bowen, Gavin and Stacey actor Melanie Walters, former England footballer Shaun Wright-Phillips and Australian singer Delta Goodrem.
For the BBC, the new series offers an opportunity to move Strictly into its next era under revised welfare arrangements. Abbington’s settlement, however, ensures that the circumstances which helped produce those changes remain part of the programme’s recent history.
The immediate legal threat may now have receded, but the more lasting consequence is already visible in the rehearsal room: contestants will return to Strictly with safeguards that were not in place when Abbington walked into hers.
