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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
Entertainment
Lisa McLoughlin

Amanda Abbington says she's 'good' in first media appearance since Strictly exit

Amanda Abbington has made her first media appearance since quitting Strictly Come Dancing for “personal reasons”.

The actress returned to host her weekly radio show on Boogaloo radio this week where her co-host Sue Vincent expressed her pride over Abbington’s BBC ballroom stint.

According to the MailOnline, Vincent said: “I am phenomenally proud of you! I cannot find the words to say how proud I am.”

To which the Sherlock star replied: “I'm good, I'm really good.”

The actress, 51, announced last week that she had left the series due to “personal reasons”, but didn’t shed any further light on it.

Sharing her decision to quit the show on Instagram, she notably thanked her team but failed to mention her pro partner Giovanni Pernice.

Abbington wrote: “It is with deepest regret that I had to leave Strictly. I did not come to this decision easily or lightly but for personal reasons I am unable to continue.

“It was an absolute joy working with my fellow contestants, they are a beautiful, hardworking and talented group of people who I love and who I will miss seeing every Friday and Saturday and competing alongside,” she continued.

“I want to thank the incredible production team and everyone on Strictly who looked after me and who are so kind and caring. It’s a wonderful bunch of people and I’ll miss all of them.

“I’m so sad that I am unable to go any further. Thank you to everyone who voted and who sent wonderful messages and inspiring support. You are all amazing. Truly. Thank you.”

Abbington was partnered with Giovanni Pernice on Strictly Come Dancing 2023 (BBC/Guy Levy)

Following her announcement, Pernice took to his Instagram to send his celebrity dance partner “so much love” and shared a photo of them backstage photo during Movie Week.

Captioning the snap, he wrote: “Amanda ..I am so sad we can’t continue but I am proud of what we achieved and I am sending you so much love”.

Elsewhere, it was claimed that Abbington never informed Pernice that she was quitting, and was instead told about her sudden departure by show producers hours before her official statement was released.

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