Janette Manrara said the Strictly controversy has made her ‘sad’ (Picture: PA)
Former Strictly Come Dancing dancer Janette Manrara has spoken frankly about the relationships between professionals and their celebrity partners.
The BBC ballroom competition show has been engulfed in a scandal over the alleged treatment of contestants after Amanda Abbington made claims about Giovanni Pernice.
The broadcaster subsequently launched an investigation into his conduct but the outcome has not yet been made public. Pernice, 34, who is not on the line-up this year, vehemently denies the allegations.
Graziano Di Prima, 30, also departed from Strictly after claims he ‘kicked’ Zara McDermott, 27. He later said he ‘wasn’t meaning to kick’ the former Love Island star.
Addressing the controversy surrounding Strictly, Manrara, who was a dancer on the show from 2013 until 2021, admitted that some couples ‘just don’t get along’ and expressed her sadness over the furor.
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On Naga Munchetty’s BBC Radio 5 Live show, the 40-year-old said: ‘The controversy around Strictly has made me sad. It’s my 11th year on it and I know how hard every single person works.
She admitted that couples on the show don’t always get on (Picture: Ken McKay/ITV/Shutterstock)
Manrara said it ‘killed’ her to hear Strictly star not having good experiences on the show (Picture: BBC)
‘Everybody puts in so much time and effort to make it the best possible show. So when you hear someone hasn’t had a great experience, it does kill you a little bit.
‘You just want everyone to have the best time and do their absolute best, and that’s not always the case. Some couples just don’t get along. You don’t always get on with the people you work with – that’s just the way of the world.’
After allegations about dancers’ conduct, the BBC announced major changes to support celebrity welfare, including chaperones in training rehearsal rooms at ‘all times.’
Two new welfare workers, a Celebrity Welfare Producer and a Professional Dancer Welfare Producer, have also been added tot he show, while the production team and crew will be given ‘further training.’
The BBC launched a probe into Pernice after allegations about his behaviour (Picture: PA)
Di Prima left Strictly after BBC reviewed rehearsal footage (Picture: BBC/Guy Levy)
It was later claimed the BBC cut the budget for casting, after grumbles the line-up was ‘lackluster’, to divert money to the increased welfare measures.
A source reportedly told the Daily Mail about the budget cuts: ‘Money …read more
Source:: Metro
