BBC APOLOGY TO AMANDA IN STRICTLY BULLYING ROW

STRICTLY'S Amanda Abbington has told of feeling "vindication" after the BBC apologised to her over bullying complaints.

- Tom Bryant

The actress, 50, had accused her professional dance partner Giovanni Pernice of "inappropriate, mean, nasty bullying", after quitting last year's show. Yesterday the corporation to Sherlock actress apologised Amanda, saying it "upheld some, but not all" of her complaints about Pernice's behaviour.

Six complaints out of 17 were upheld. However, last night Pernice was also claiming victory after the investigation.

A spokesman for the Italian, 34, said he was "relieved" he has been cleared of claims he was physically aggressive towards his former partner.

A source close to him claimed the allegations upheld were "trivial".

Among the upheld complaints were claims that there were "isolated incidents where Giovanni swore or threw his hands in the air".

The BBC review said: "He was swearing and using what could be described as belittling language".

This amounted to bullying, according to the BBC. Another upheld complaint was the dancer was using "too much negative feedback".

A claim that Pernice grabbed his crotch, made a lewd remark and told Amanda that he "wanted to f*** her" was also upheld.

But a source close to Pernice claimed: "This was all done in jest and perceived in this way by Amanda.

"They were intended as jokes and compliments of her dancing style.

"Her language could be just as coarse back."

He was cleared of threatening, abusive and physical behaviour. The investigation which took six months, involved trawling through hundreds of hours of footage and cost an estimated £250,000.

The BBC said yesterday: "We have assessed the complaints and we have upheld some, but not all, of the complaints made.