So do I in a 🍿chewing way

Someone on the main put up a clip of ITT interviews and the training footage they used to show. Was refreshingly normal and healthy to see, and more interesting than what the producers allow to be shown now. Maybe if they were less 'delicate' the papers would have fewer dark places to operate in

So you believe the allegations against Laura LL?

That may or may not be the case, but when Karen and Ola had their spat a few years ago, the BBC did make a statement when the incident got into the newspapers. I realise that was two pro dancers, but it's a shame they couldn't do the same for Laura.

Its likely that The Truth is very mundane.

If there was a fiery exchange by text message, for argument's sake, that had some poorly-phrased criticism of a pro dancers dance ability, choreo, work or teaching... yup.. ... that would easily be enough to cause HR to clutch their pearls. Particularly if the words 'useless/cr*p/sh*te/disaster/hopeless/rubbish' were used. You know.. REALLY STRONG LANGUAGE.

It doesn't take much. That is the modern workplace. I am not defending it. Its just.... there.

I think it is likely (actually, probable) that Gio and Laura communicated regularly by text message - that is modern life. They both use their phones all the time.

I know that it is incredibly easy to fall into a trap of sending an email that is abusive according to a workplace definitions. even if the person on the Clapham Omnibus would think the language totally unremarkable.

I don't think that they got on very well behind the scenes. I think its possible that Laura expressed her views on a text message or two. I have absolutely no idea what she might have said or how she might have said it.

Edit: I do not for one minute think that Laura is the type of person to fire off a string of four letter words, hateful invective, etc. Don't believe anything remotely like that took place at all.

Poorly phrased criticism is a possibility I suppose.

This is how I see it too. Things have become sanitised and ordinary robust language is demonised.

To my eyes -- and they are foolish -- Laura and Gio got on well enough except for a) moments around the week of the ankle injury (there was Laura's post-publication-edited blog where she deleted the bit about not telling Gio about the injury, and also details I can't remember about the trampoline VT) and b) that last week, where strain was really showing. They probably did have a falling out then.

Bullying is a crazy word to use but people use it at the drop of a hat.

I honestly don't know why we can't decode (and defuse) that word in the Mail in the exact same way we decode the rest of their crap.

Ahhh, I'd forgotten that! Didn't they issue a statement saying they'd spoken to both dancers and apologies were made?? Something like that

I would like to see the proof, until then I don't believe a word, only because if there had been some foul language exchange, I am sure the judges would have heard about it and they always tell the celeb, listen to your partner. In this case the opposite, they didn't like what Giovannni did and agreed with Laura. Len and Craig were furious, so I rest my case.

I always wanted to do law.

Completely agree. I would think this is more about a frank exchange of views that didn't look great when written down. I hate the article. You can read between the lines... but of course most people just skim it, form a view and judge away.

This is an appreciation thread, so I better not comment about certain someone.

Yes. Forgotten about that.

No one has convinced me that ANY of the story is true. I saw no evidence in their interviews that there was a problem. They looked very relaxed with each other at all times. As time went on Laura became more tactile with Gio which I was happy to see as I felt it couldn't have been easy for them at the beginning with those other tabloid stories. During the final interview this was certainly they exchanged looks and looked very comfortable physically with each other. The ghastly headlines came as a huge shock to me and I just can not accept that there was any truth in them. Until someone provides me with real evidence I will consider the tabloid revelations as complete rubbish.

Laura has a degree in journalism and English is her mother tongue. She is not going write stupid phrases on a text or an email. She might have said "you are being unfair on me" and "I can't do it" never would she say " you're useless".

Good point Sarah - I had forgotten her degree subject.

I would guess that there might be some text messages that are a bit 'grey' and mean one thing to the person who sent them, and another to the person who read them. And something totally different if HR get their procedural mitts on them and read them without context.

Which creates enough fog, uncertainty and doubt for the the tabloids to embroider up into a 'feud' and all the rest of the colourful language that has been used.

It is a story best killed off.

Many people including yourselves now think Laura likely guilty of technically workplace abuse with no evidence whatsoever.

While I suppose any criticism of Laura from Gio was a strict, no nonsense approach to teaching.

Poor Laura. She should do an interview, publish any texts she sent and show this up for what it is. Malicious slander.

Ochre. I don't think what you have said I think. LL

I have absolutely no idea what she might have said or how she might have said it.

I know you keep saying 'grey area' but I don't think Laura who is an intelligent person would ever have used any such phrases, no way.

How are you getting that from anything I've said or that LL has said? Are you going to assert that I believe a thing that I certainly do not believe -- and have not said -- directly to my face?

That's amazing.

I'm putting it mildly.

Laura publishing her texts won't help, the doubters will say that she had deleted or not published some.

I have absolutely no idea what she might have said or how she might have said it.

You are probably right Sarah.

Sometimes in the heat of the moment, I have expressed myself forcefully on the odd text message. Doesn't mean others make the same mistakes as me.

True fan, stay that way.

And on that point, we are in total agreement. It just re-starts a story. And text messages taken out of context are dreadful things anyway.

I've got a PhD in English. I count myself as reasonably competent in the language. You should read some of the shit I send by text

The problem here is not what anyone has said or done. I've got no blame for either Gio or Laura. The problem comes from the 'insiders' (lots of them in this case) re-heating crap and re-moulding it for the redtops. They got their hands dirty

Surely you have never told people that they are useless or dumb or called them idiots??.

We have an English Professor here. Come on be serious, sending a stupid text to your friends or family is different sending one to your colleague. Are you ever going to send abusive texts to them??