'Sherlock' star Amanda Abbington reaches 100 million won settlement after seven weeks of verbal abuse

Amanda Abbington reaches 100 million won settlement after a seven-hour nightmare for the 'Sherlock' star

Abuse on BBC variety show: Six of 17 claims substantiated

Behind the five-figure settlement: The shattered illusion of a dance competition

Actress Amanda Abbington, who left a strong impression as Mary, Dr. Watson's wife, in the BBC's flagship drama 'Sherlock', has ended a long-running dispute with the broadcaster over what happened. The BBC is paying her a settlement of up to 100 million won over the verbal abuse she says she suffered while appearing on a variety show.

According to local media outlets The Times and The Guardian, the case dates back to the 21st season of the BBC's flagship dance competition show 'Strictly Come Dancing,' which aired in 2023. Abbington, who took on the ambitious challenge of performing on the show, abruptly announced her departure early in the program after what she described as the partner dancer Giovanni Pernice's repeated and inappropriate conduct.

In October 2024, Abbington told the BBC that she had been left for 'seven hours' a day over seven weeks in an environment rife with verbal abuse and sexual gestures, publicly detailing her allegations. Pernice's representatives strongly denied that he had ever behaved threateningly, but the BBC's internal investigation reached a different conclusion. In September 2024, the broadcaster issued a formal apology, acknowledging as substantiated 'six' of the 17 harassment claims Abbington had raised, including allegations of abusive language. Claims of physical assault, however, were not substantiated.

The two sides have declined to disclose the exact settlement amount, but local media estimate it was a 'five-figure' sum in pounds, worth roughly 100 million won. After paying a steep price, the BBC introduced an unprecedented system to protect cast members and prevent a recurrence, including keeping a 'chaperone' permanently present during rehearsals in training rooms.

Abbington, who built an international profile through the dramas 'Mr Selfridge' and 'Sherlock,' was previously in a long-term relationship with Martin Freeman and has two children with him, but the couple have since separated. Pernice, meanwhile, was a veteran dancer who had performed on the show since its 13th season, but the fallout from the controversy brought his tenure to an ignominious end after season 21.