The BBC has apologised to the former Strictly Come Dancing contestant Amanda Abbington, after the broadcaster concluded its review into the actor’s complaints against Giovanni Pernice. In a statement, the BBC said it had upheld “some, but not all” of the complaints made against the professional dancer, adding: “We take any allegations of bullying and harassment very seriously and this review has taken time due to its complex nature and our desire to ensure a rigorous and robust process was undertaken. “Strictly Come Dancing is a family show and we rightly expect very high standards. While competition can be tough, rigorous and demanding, we want the show to ultimately be a joyous and transformative experience. It is a great shame if this hasn’t been the case for everyone who has appeared on the show. “We have assessed the complaints and we have upheld some, but not all, of the complaints made,” the statement said. “We want to apologise to Amanda Abbington and to thank her for coming forward and taking part. We know this would not have been an easy thing to do.” The BBC said that although it “took steps to address the issues as they understood them” at the time, “ultimately these were not enough”, and added that it had since introduced “important” extra duty of care measures, including chaperones in all rehearsal rooms and two new welfare producers. There were no findings relating to physical aggression, but complaints of verbal bullying and harassment were upheld, BBC News reported. In a written statement, Abbington responded: “As the BBC has indicated today in its statement, my decision to come forward and complain about Giovanni Pernice’s conduct towards me was not an easy thing to do. “In the days, weeks and months since I contacted the BBC, I’ve been accused of being a liar, a troublemaker and of being ‘mad and unstable’. I’ve also received rape and murder threats and a bomb threat was sent to my place of work. My family and children have also been subjected to threats and intimidation. “Despite this vile abuse, I’ve never regretted coming forward, and today’s apology from the BBC is a vindication of my complaint. It’s not just a vindication for me, it’s a vindication for the other people who have contacted me since I made my complaint to express concerns about their own experiences on Strictly Come Dancing. I hope those who have felt unable to speak out now will be more confident that they will be listened to and believed.” She added that she was considering an invitation to meet senior management, noting that the apology “means a great deal to me”, as it reflected acknowledgment from the BBC that insufficient protections for contestants were in place. Abbington said: “What matters most now is that lessons have been learned and that the BBC makes the changes they’ve promised, to ensure others don’t experience the same ordeal that I and others like me did.” The chief content officer at the BBC, Charlotte Moore, told BBC News that a number of complaints under its bullying and harassment policy had been upheld, but said she was unable to go into further detail on the allegations made by Abbington about her time on Strictly Come Dancing. Earlier this year, the BBC confirmed that Pernice would not return to the Strictly professional lineup for the new series, which started in September. He has since joined his native Italy’s celebrity dance show Ballando con le Stelle. BBC News cited a source close to Pernice as saying: “Gio is pleased that this has been thrown out after what has been a torrid nine months or so for him. From the outset, Giovanni has rejected any claims of threatening or abusive behaviour. “While [he] appreciates that the BBC has likely decided to uphold some allegations to avoid the accusations of a ‘whitewash’ – they’ve upheld the weakest allegations put to him.”