'I was in tears everyday' says Fern Britton as she fuels Strictly scandal with new revelations about pro partner

10/25/2024 06:58 PM

FERN Britton has lifted the lid on her Strictly Come Dancing stint and claims she was ‘in tears everyday’.

The telly icon, 67, took part in the BBC show in 2012 but still has strong memories about her time in the ballroom.

Fern, who was partnered with Russian dancer Artem Chigvintsev, has revealed she would cry before rehearsals.

In a serialisation of her book Fern Britton The Older I Get in the Daily Mail, the former This Morning star also said her partner made a cutting comment when they were first put together.

She penned: “I asked him if he was OK with having me as a partner and he said, ‘Well, I am used to someone with some dance ability, and younger.’

“My confidence took a hit at that, but I laughed and told him I didn’t feel 55, and that, when I had a drink in me, I was a sensational dancer. He did not laugh.”

Describing the rehearsals as “challenging”, Fern added: “As the weeks went on, I found it increasingly hard to gather up my self-confidence and there were days I was crying before I even got into the rehearsal room.”

Fern even says: “Late one evening, when I simply couldn’t get the steps in my head and we were both tired, he looked at me and said: ‘Go home before I kill you.’ It was a joke. I laughed. ‘Kill me, please.”

This not the first time Fern has hit out at her time on Strictly.

She previously told The Times: “He would look at my feet and just kick me or shove me.”

Fern and Artem finished Strictly Come Dancing in 10th place. It ended up being Chigvintsev’s worst performance on the BBC show.

In 2017, Artem moved to Dancing With The Stars in the US where he was partnered with his future wife Nikki Garcia – also known as Nikki Bella in the WWE world.

The pair married in 2022 and share a son, who was born in 2020.

Earlier this year, Artem denied Fern’s claims of him ‘kicking or shoving her’ during tense rehearsals.

He told the Daily Express: “I believe I treated Fern with respect and genuine care and these claims about me are the opposite of everything I believe in and the person I am.

“I cannot imagine what has prompted such statements which come as a shock to me.”

The Sun has contacted Artem’s reps following Fern’s most recent claims.

Strictly has been rocked by a huge crisis this year and Fern’s new allegation that she would ‘cry before rehearsals’ only adds to the pressure.

The BBC recently released its findings following an investigation into Amanda Abbington‘s claims about Italian pro Giovanni Pernice.

The investigation upheld six of Amanda’s complaints, with sources saying those six related to verbal bullying and harassment.

He was cleared of a further 10 allegations.

Sherlock star Amanda, 50, quit Strictly Come Dancing last year and later made a formal complaint about Giovanni, along with three of his former dance partners.

He quit Strictly in May and is now working on the Italian version of the show.

Speaking on ITV1’s Lorraine this week, Giovanni said: “The investigation didn't find me a bully.

“Bully is a big word, there's a big difference between bullying and caring about what you do.”

Meanwhile, fellow Italian professional Graziano Di Prima was axed this year for kicking celebrity dance partner Zara McDermott in rehearsals.