Who is Amanda Abbington? Meet the Strictly Come Dancing 2023 contestant
Everyone's favourite sequin-filled series has returned to BBC One.
Amanda Abbington burst onto the ballroom floor in Week 1 of Strictly Come Dancing 2023 with an assured performance which saw her score 29 points and come joint second on the leaderboard.
The actress, known for her roles in Sherlock and Mr Selfridge, performed a Viennese waltz to Pointless by Lewis Capaldi as her first dance, alongside her partner Giovanni Pernice.
She has now marked herself as a strong contender to lift this year's Glitterball trophy, having impressed judges Craig Revel Horwood, Motsi Mabuse, Shirley Ballas and Anton Du Beke.
Abbington previously revealed that while her partner and her son would be in the audience to cheer her on in the first week, her daughter was supporting an entirely different contestant.
Speaking exclusively to RadioTimes.com, she said: "My daughter's going to a party with her boyfriend and my son was going to come and sit in the audience and support his mum.
"She only wants to come to meet Giovanni. I said to her, 'Do you support me?' She said, 'No, I support Giovanni and Zara [McDermott].'"
So, who is Amanda Abbington and how does she feel about appearing on Strictly Come Dancing 2023? Read on to find out.
Who is Amanda Abbington?
Age: 51
Job: Actor
Instagram: @amanda_abbington74
Twitter: N/A
Strictly partner: Giovanni Pernice
Amanda Abbington is best known for playing Mary Morstan in BBC One's detective drama Sherlock, where she starred opposite former husband Martin Freeman, while she also appeared as Josie Mardle in ITV period piece Mr Selfridge.
More recently, she has appeared in UKTV comedy We Are Not Alone, Netflix fantasy series Lockwood & Co and BBC Two anthology Inside No. 9.
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Amanda Abbington's Strictly journey so far
Scoreboard:
Week One: Viennese waltz (7+7+8+7) = 29
What has Amanda Abbington said about joining Strictly 2023?
Abbington said: "I'm thrilled to have been asked to do Strictly. I'm actually really shy and self-conscious so this will be a great opportunity for me to overcome those things!
"Plus, I get to learn to dance which I am incredibly excited about. I'm really looking forward to the training too, I’m quite competitive as my family and friends will tell you. I can’t wait to start!"
Prior to her appearance on the talent show, Strictly Come Dancing podcast host Joe Sugg revealed he thought Abbington will surprise a lot of people this season.
"I think she will be very, very good. Yeah, I'm excited to see her dance. I think she will surprise a lot of people," he told RadioTimes.com.
When asked if he thinks she will be the dark horse of the series, the Strictly podcast host revealed he did.
When does Strictly Come Dancing 2023 air?
Strictly Come Dancing 2023 continues on Saturday 30th September at 6:20pm. The results show will air on Sunday 1st October.
Strictly Come Dancing continues on Saturday 30th September at 6:20pm. The results show will air on Sunday 1st October on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.
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