Tv presenter Laura Whitmore has stated that issues she tried to speak about throughout her time on Strictly Come Dancing eight years in the past are “all popping out now”.
In an interview with The Irish Occasions, the previous Love Island host added that she had been “gaslit to make it appear normalised”.
Strictly has been rocked by celebrities making allegations about their time on the present in current weeks.
A BBC spokesperson declined to remark. The company has beforehand stated that when points are raised, it at all times takes them “extraordinarily critically”.
Whitmore was partnered with skilled dancer Giovanni Pernice in 2016, and was the seventh celeb eradicated.
Pernice’s representatives didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark.
Two years after the present, Whitmore gave an interview to the Huffington Submit, by which she stated the expertise left her “damaged” and crying daily.
She additionally stated she had been deeply affected by being depicted by some as “blonde bait in a sequinned gown”.
In her new interview, Whitmore was requested whether or not issues have change into any simpler for girls within the public eye.
“I feel we’re louder now, and we’re pulling folks up on issues now,” she stated. “I do suppose it’s altering barely. I hope.
“And even the stuff I’m not going to speak to you about now, as a result of it’s below evaluation, that’s all popping out now, the stuff I attempted to discuss eight years in the past.”
She was requested whether or not she wasn’t listened to on the time.
“Or [I was] gaslit to make it appear normalised,” she responded.
“Gaslighting” is outlined as psychologically manipulating an individual into questioning his or her notion of actuality.
She added: “It’s a disgrace that it has to return out in such a victim-shaming approach, which it at all times does. And being the primary particular person to talk up about something is at all times onerous.”
Final week, Whitmore posted an Instagram story by which she spoke about her experiences on Strictly.
The 39-year-old, who had an ankle damage throughout the present, says she “raised considerations” on the time.
She stated she had been requested to talk to the BBC with six different folks, whom she didn’t title, about “inappropriate behaviour they skilled much like mine with the identical particular person”.
Whitmore didn’t title the “particular person” in her assertion.
The presenter went on to say she had not made an official grievance and was offering proof of her expertise to help the BBC’s investigation.
Beforehand, a spokesperson for Pernice stated: “We’re co-operating absolutely with the BBC’s evaluation course of.”
They added: “Giovanni refutes any declare of threatening or abusive behaviour, and, having supplied the BBC along with his proof, is assured that the evaluation will show this.”
Pernice won’t be returning for the present’s collection this 12 months.
Strictly has been on the centre of controversy as claims have emerged in regards to the therapy of a number of the celebrities on the present.
The actress Amanda Abbington, who was additionally paired with Giovanni Pernice, has stated she discovered his alleged behaviour “pointless, abusive, merciless and imply”.
TV star Zara McDermott has stated she was concerned in incidents within the Strictly Come Dancing coaching room that she now finds “extremely distressing” to observe again,
A spokesman for her skilled dancer, Graziano Di Prima, later admitted to BBC Information that he had kicked McDermott as soon as in a rehearsal final 12 months.
Di Prima has additionally left the present.
The BBC has stated it would introduce measures to “strengthen welfare and help” on the present, together with a chaperone who shall be current “always” throughout coaching room rehearsals.
A earlier assertion from the company stated: “Anybody concerned in a grievance has a proper to confidentiality and truthful course of and due to this fact it might be inappropriate to remark additional on people.
“Nonetheless, when points are raised with us we at all times take them extraordinarily critically and have acceptable processes in place to handle this.
“As we now have stated earlier than, we might urge folks to not bask in hypothesis.
“Extra usually, the BBC and BBC Studios takes responsibility of care extraordinarily critically.
“Our processes on Strictly Come Dancing are up to date yearly, they’re saved below fixed evaluation, and final week we introduced further steps to additional strengthen welfare and help on the present.”
