Janette Manara has broken her silence after being caught up in the ongoing Strictly Come Dancing scandals. A spokesperson for the It Takes Two host has claimed Manara "has never received any complaints" regarding her training methods following one of her former celebrity partners airing some grievances in an interview over the weekend. Earlier today, the BBC issued a statement after It Takes Two host Manara was criticised by her former dance partner Will Bayley.
Bayley claims he sustained a serious, life-altering injury while jumping during a performance on the long-running show and blamed his then-partner Manara. A representative for Manrara then told BBC News: "Janette had a great time dancing with Will and one of her favourite moments on the show was doing their contemporary couples choice. Her celebrity partner’s safety and enjoyment was always the priority throughout her time on Strictly.
Janette has never received any complaints and has maintained friendships with all her partners, including Will." Bayley's comments over the weekend came amid BBC bosses trying to put out multiple Strictly fires ahead of the show's 20th anniversary series beginning later this year. Graziano Di Prima was dropped from the line-up earlier this month, with the former professional admitting to kicking his 2023 partner Zara McDermott during a training session.
Giovanni Pernice will also not be returning to the BBC dancefloor in the autumn amid an investigation into allegations made against him by actress Amanda Abbington . Giovanni, who lifted the Glitterball trophy with Rose Ayling-Ellis in 2021, denies the claims and has vowed to clear his name. Bayley, who participated in the 2019 series, made shocking allegations about a severe injury he sustained during training in a interview over the weekend.
He claims that despite expressing concerns about a particular jump, he was asked to perform it during rehearsals with Manara . The mother-of-one, whose husband Alijaz Skorjanec is set to return to the BBC dance floor later this year, served as a Strictly professional from 2013 until she became the host of sister show It Takes Two in 2021. In his interview, Bayley recalls Manara dismissing his jump as 'rubbish' and hearing his leg crack in the process.
Despite being in 'horrific pain', he alleges he wasn't taken to hospital but instead to a hotel room where ice was applied to his knee. Bayley now accuses the BBC of breaching their duty of care towards him following the incident. He decided to speak out due to fears of similar incidents happening to others.
"Now feels like the right time to speak up. I hope what I went through never happens to anyone else. I think the show thought they were being inclusive by casting me, but I actually felt pressured.
I have got a serious disability and I don't think anyone was really looking out for me when I injured myself, leaving me with injuries that still affect me to this day," Bayley told The Sun. "No one has ever contacted me from the BBC or said sorry. There was no duty of care - I should have been taken to hospital as soon as I had the accident, but all they cared about was trying to get me to dance.
" Following these comments, the BBC responded to The Mirror : "We have longstanding protocols for dealing with injuries if they occur and that includes contestants receiving all necessary treatment and support as required." Follow Mirror Celebs on TikTok , Snapchat , Instagram , Twitter , Facebook , YouTube and Threads.
