Amanda Abbington makes her first public appearance since Giovanni Pernice returned to the dance floor, showing 'utter helplessness' after losing the recent @buse lawsuit.

Amanda Abbington cut an elegant figure as she attended the Future Dreams Ladies Lunch hosted by Estée Lauder at the Savoy Hotel in London on Thursday amid Strictly Come Dancing’s bullying probe.

The actress, 50, looked incredible in a structured black single-breasted blazer and a puffy cream skirt.

She teamed the elegant ensemble with a plain black top before further accessorising with a layer of pearl necklaces and a gold-toned pendant necklace.

The Sherlock actress toted her essentials around in a black leather handbag and sported a pair of leather lace-up boots.

During the event, she was also joined by pals Shaney Chapman, Nicky Weller, Samantha Lane, Stuart Townsend, and Dame Arlene Phillips.

Amanda Abbington cut an elegant figure in a structured black blazer as she attended the Future Dreams Ladies Lunch hosted by Estée Lauder at the Savoy Hotel in London on Thursday amid bullying probe

The actress, 50, looked incredible as she teamed the chic blazer with a puffy cream skirt

The 20th-anniversary series of Strictly has been somewhat tainted after the BBC show was embroiled in scandal in a year plagued with controversy.

And the BBC failed to address the scandal during the launch episode despite the results of the misconduct investigation still pending.

It all began last October when Amanda unexpectedly quit the show before claiming that her partner Giovanni Pernice, 34, was abusive towards her.

The actress has made a series of accusations about Giovanni’s teaching methods and has described his behaviour as ‘unnecessary, abusive, cruel and mean’. He strongly denies all of the claims.

Giovanni was suspended while a BBC probe is underway over allegations made by Amanda and two other former celebrity partners.

With the report into his misconduct due any day now, Amanda has reportedly been left deeply disappointed with the BBC bosses over fears they’re ‘protecting’ the dancer amid the bullying probe.

There have been high-level meetings among BBC bosses as they navigate how to deliver their findings as they fear the looming possibility of legal action from either Amanda or Giovanni if either is disappointed by the outcome.

After Giovanni, the show was hit with a fresh wave of scandal when Graziano Di Prima was sacked in July for ‘kicking’ his partner Love Island star Zara McDermott.

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She teamed the elegant ensemble with a plain black top before further accessorising with a layer of pearl necklaces and a gold-toned pendant necklace

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The Sherlock actress toted her essentials around in a black leather handbag and sported a pair of leather lace-up boots as she posed up a storm with Dame Arlene Phillips (left)

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During the event she was also joined by pals Nicky Weller (left) and Shaney Chapman (right)

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Amanda seemed in high spirits as she struck up a smile for the cameras (pictured L-R Shaney, Amanda, Nicky, Samantha Lane, and Stuart Townsend)

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Her appearance at the event comes after she made a series of accusations about Giovanni Pernice’s teaching methods on Strictly and described his behaviour as ‘unnecessary, abusive, cruel and mean’. He strongly denies all of the claims (pictured in 2023)

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After Giovanni, the show was hit with a fresh wave of scandal when Graziano Di Prima was sacked in July for ‘ kicking’ his partner Love Island star Zara McDermott (both pictured in 2023)

Zara explained she didn’t report the incident at the time as she was ‘scared’ of backlash.

Instead, it was junior production staff who came forward to share what they had witnessed as the investigation into pro dancer Giovanni was taking place.

Zara told her followers that while much of her time on Strictly ‘was everything I could have dreamt of’ inside the training room with Graziano there were ‘particular incidents which are incredibly distressing‘.

Strictly Come Dancing continues on Saturday at 18:15pm on BBC One and iPlayer.