Amanda Abbington and Strictly.

So for anyone not familiar with Strictly, you don't have to watch the whole thing to vote.

Voting opens at the end of the show and you just need to register with an email account on the BBC website. You go to Strictly's website and then you have 3 free votes per account. I'm not saying that you can register with multiple accounts you totally can and I have about 10 accounts in order to vote multiple times for my favourite, you just need to log in/out), but it would be nice if she had a push, wouldn't it? 😉

These are the kinds of people who've been informing public policy. People who have to check with their children if they are allowed to have an opinion and who think that Amanda Abingdon's thoughts are lethal.

Imagine being trapped in a studio with someone who might be thinking hurty thoughts.

Oh the horror!!

Well quite. I certainly agree with you and was thinking the same yesterday about Amanda/Roman/Whatever Knox yesterday!

I'll be watching and voting for Amanda. I hope she isn't given a hard time by anyone involved in the actual show.

It's utterly ridiculous that publicly speaking a valid opinion and not being prepared to be forced to repeat the current accepted dogma gets you vilified in this way. She's just a woman with an opinion that you (Twitter whingers) don't like! So what?

She must be an extremely patient woman to have been married to the bellend that is MF all those years

Two 'authors' who I've never heard of. Not having a go at you as I saw this going round on Twitter but why are we giving these people the oxygen of publicity?

I haven’t watched Strictly for a few years but will watch it again to see Amanda and will vote for her. I hope this doesn’t turn into a horrible experience for her and that the judges don’t feel under pressure to be harsh with her.

' ... in danger or at risk ...'

Oh ffs. Do they not hear themselves?

This Twitter/X exchange between, I believe, 2 authors is just pathetic, “I’ll consult my kids.” And that is one of the main reasons why we’re in this mess, who uses their kids as the arbiter of wrong and right?!

And Elon Musk might fund AA's legal case over loss of earnings against the BBC. Fun thought.

Yes, I hope the bbc realise they need to be achingly impartial and transparent over their entire handling of this.

Terfs being bankrolled by a powerful billionaire (or two) ought make them behave, but who knows...

What’s frustrating is that the BBC isn’t some private production company. It’s publicly funded by licence fee payers and AA’s views are completely mainstream and lawful.

In fact there are many big players in the traditional ‘Drag industry’ who regard it as entertainment for venues where it’s 18+ entry. This is to protect performers, venue and audience alike, and also makes it easier to fulfill licensing conditions.

Amanda Abbington has done nothing wrong, but is being punished.

It’s the BBC that should be making the statements, standing by her.

Nice bit of free hype for an ageing show that needs it ?

She’s GC abd has been for yonks. I’m not watching a hostage video apology made under duress. Also her views are no secret, the BBC will have known about them. am i being deeply cynical in thinking the bbc were hoping fir exactly this situation to arise? ive also no doubt that a DQ will turn up as a contestant

FFS as if you have to apologise for correctly observing that drag is adult entertainment!

It’s controversial when a woman says it

Once again it sounds like it's all bollocks to me !

There was similar fuss over Robert Webb a fee years ago. I remember the popular blog review site just pretended he didn't exist and didn't review his dances. I was so sad he had to pull out due to poor health. Like Glinner his career has really suffered for being GC.

She’s been openly GC for years. I’m not watching a seven minute apology but disappointing if she walks it all back for Strictly, though I appreciate her income probably varies wildly.

He’s got a heart condition, which was discussed at the start of the series. So it’s likely it was for health reasons.

Absolutely. I’ll tune in for her, and watch her, and vote for her (even when they give her all the crappy dances).

I will be voting for her every week.

She’s an amazing woman and an ambassador for the Spinal Injuries Association.

She’s being hounded because she’s been vocal in her support of women, the biological kind and not the lady feelz ones.

I saw Amanda and Frances Barber in The Unfriend (both brilliant) and have no doubt that they are kindred spirits.

And as for all the TRAs saying that they will boycott Strictly because of Amanda taking part - I’m sure their hatred of women speaking their mind when it comes to biological sex will outweigh their support for Layton Williams and they really really won’t watch it at all.

Well, I think the BBC knows that its EDI practices are now under scrutiny like never before - so if it caves in it will have to justify why to the parliamentary Select Committee on its case, which should be interesting.

And Elon Musk might fund AA's legal case over loss of earnings against the BBC. Fun thought.

No, he left in week 3/4 due to health reasons. This was the official reason given, whether that was truth I've no idea as the TRA brigade was gaining real traction at the time. He might have decided to leave and have his health as an excuse, who knows?