Angela Rippon has lifted the lid on the explosive fallout between Amanda Abbington and Giovanni Pernice, claiming the cast of Strictly were ‘all aware’ of tensions between the pair.The veteran broadcaster, 81, who competed in the same 2023 series, also said for the first time that there were other occasions when professional dancers did not always treat their celebrity partners ‘particularly well’.Actress Amanda, 52, quit the series after being partnered with Giovanni, 36, and later complained about his conduct during rehearsals, alleging bullying and harassment.A BBC investigation upheld six of her complaints, including those relating to verbal bullying and harassment, but allegations of physical aggression were not upheld.’I think we were all aware of the tension between the two of them,’ Angela said on Vanessa Feltz’s YouTube show, At Home With Vanessa. ‘It’s no point saying that we weren’t because we all were.’She added: ‘Amanda was very distressed by the whole thing. Angela Rippon, 81, has lifted the lid on the explosive fallout between Amanda Abbington and Giovanni Pernice, claiming the cast of Strictly were ‘all aware’ of tensions between the pair Actress Amanda, 52, quit the series after being partnered with Giovanni, 36, and later complained about his conduct during rehearsals, alleging bullying and harassment’And I think everybody within the crew was very distressed by the way that it turned out with a very, very popular and very fine dancer, professional dancer, and with Amanda herself, who was lovely.’Angela, who became Strictly’s oldest ever contestant when she took part aged 79, continued: ‘There have been other occasions, I think, where perhaps some of the professional dancers did not treat their partners particularly well.’But that’s for them to sort out. That’s for the production company to handle.’Giovanni has consistently rejected allegations of threatening or abusive behaviour. Last month it emerged Amanda had received a five-figure settlement from BBC Studios over her claims about her time on the show.Giovanni also addressed the fallout in his memoir Gio: Taking the Lead, published last month, claiming the scandal drove him ‘to the brink of suicide’ and left him suffering inflammation of the heart.Amanda accused him of having ‘grossly mischaracterised’ what happened between them.Angela stressed that her own experience with professional partner Kai Widdrington, 31, had been very different.She said: ‘I was so lucky in having Kai as a partner and a friend. And that’s the experience that I think 90% of the people who take part in the programme get.’But she described Strictly as ‘a cauldron of tension, of passion, of all sorts of things’.She added: ‘Sometimes people are going to flare, sometimes they’re going to have a breakdown, sometimes they’re going to feel top of the world. The veteran broadcaster also said for the first time that there were other occasions when professional dancers did not always treat their celebrity partners ‘particularly well’ Angela competed in the same 2023 series with her partner Kai Widdrington’You have all of those emotions. I mean, the whole place is a hotbed of emotion all the time.’Angela also admitted she is ‘personally unsettled’ by the show’s dramatic overhaul.Longtime hosts Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman have been replaced by Emma Willis, Josh Widdicombe and Johannes Radebe, while five new professional dancers have joined the line-up.Angela said members of the public had repeatedly approached her with concerns about the changes.’I’ve had lots and lots of people putting this to me… ordinary members of the public,’ she explained. ‘They are unsettled because there have been so many changes made all at once.’My own feeling is that we’ve got to give it a chance. We’ve got to see how it’s going to work.’I personally am unsettled about what they’ve done because, as a presenter, as you and I know what the job of presenting entails, I feel that the role that Emma is taking on is a one-person job. But we’ve got to give it a try and see whether it’ll work.’Angela also questioned the decision to move Johannes, 39, away from his role as one of Strictly’s professional dancers.Describing him as a ‘great mate’ and a ‘stunning dancer’, she suggested he could continue in the pre-recorded professional group numbers alongside his presenting duties.’What I would have suggested was that Jojo should still be in the group dances because he is brilliant, as well as doing the Clauditorium stuff,’ she said.’You could have pulled that off easily because we know that they’re pre-recorded.’