Amanda Abbington Criticizes Sarah Vine for 'Throwing Women Under the Bus' Following Strictly Investigation

Amanda Abbington has struck back at Sarah Vine's claims, accusing the columnist of, well, "throwing other women under the bus." At 50, the Sherlock actress is navigating the stormy seas of public scrutiny after an incident that involved her former dancing partner, Giovanni Pernice, on the dancefloor of BBC's Strictly Come Dancing. Literally, an internal probe at the behemoth corporation was sparked by her vocal complaints, which eventually led to an apology from the BBC—a rarity in today’s world, much like a unicorn in a field of donkeys.

During an emotional chat on Newsnight this past Wednesday, Abbington spilled the proverbial tea about her experience, revealing that Giovanni's teaching methods didn’t exactly resonate with her. And just as she was laying all her cards on the table—think poker with a side of vulnerability—she found herself responding to Vine's scathing column that had just hit the press. In that piece, Vine shocked the masses by asserting that Abbington was "NOT a victim in the way most people understand it." Oh, the audacity!

As Amanda listened to an excerpt from the article read aloud, her disappointment was palpable. "I'm always shocked when women throw other women under the bus for standing up for something they think is wrong," she remarked, with a mix of disbelief and sorrow. Her words painted a picture of solidarity among women, a tapestry woven with thank-you's from those who had approached her after her brave decision to speak out. "I've had so many women come up to me since making this complaint thanking me for being brave enough..." she reflected, her voice amplifying the truth that her stance had resonated, inspiring others to find their own voices.

She added with sincerity, "I also did it for the women before me who had gone through the same thing. I’m not the isolated person—this hasn’t only happened to me." Amanda concluded her heartfelt testimony by asserting her affection for Strictly, confirming she never intended to be a troublemaker or ruin anyone’s career. Instead, she simply wished to highlight her experience in a workplace run by a publicly owned corporation: "I didn't want anyone else to go through what I went through."

The BBC released the findings of their internal investigation on Monday, revealing that they found no physical aggression but upheld six out of the 17 allegations of bullying made by Abbington. Giovanni was cleared of the other 11 allegations—a not-so-cheerful verdict in the grand performance of workplace drama. In an emotionally fraught Instagram post, he declared it was time to move on: "It’s over, it’s finished... seven months of reading things every day in the newspaper and not being able to respond." Talk about a dance floor that turned into a battleground, right?

Meanwhile, the BBC took the opportunity to reaffirm its commitment to high standards of family entertainment. In their corporate voice, they stated: "While competition can be tough, rigorous, and demanding, we want the show to ultimately be a joyous and transformative experience." It's a bit disheartening when not everyone gets to enjoy the waltz through life unscathed. They apologized to Amanda Abbington with a nod to her courage for coming forward—she had indeed broken the silence that so many women may have felt unable to shatter.