Amanda Abbington’s path to Strictly, from Sherlock to drag show controversy

In our upcoming EcoReporter segment, we will be discussing Amanda Abbington’s journey to Strictly Come Dancing and the controversy surrounding her tweet about a drag show. Abbington, known for her role as Mary Watson in the hit BBC detective series Sherlock, faced backlash for her tweet about a baby sensory and cabaret show aimed at parents and their infants aged up to two. She later clarified her stance and expressed her support for the legitimate trans community.

Abbington, a passionate dancer from Hertfordshire, had to give up her dancing aspirations due to an injury. She pursued acting instead and has appeared in various TV shows, including Casualty, Doc Martin, Inside No 9, Cuffs, Mr Selfridge, and Sherlock. She is best known for her role as Mary Morstan in Sherlock, where she played the cunning wife of John Watson, portrayed by her real-life partner Martin Freeman.

Freeman and Abbington met in 2001 and were in a relationship until 2016. They have two children together. During a 2019 interview, Freeman spoke about the challenges of playing Abbington’s on-screen husband while going through a breakup offscreen. Abbington has since moved on and is currently in a relationship with Jonathan Goodwin, a former escapologist and stunt performer who was left permanently paralyzed after a stunt gone wrong.

Abbington’s journey on Strictly Come Dancing will be interesting to watch, as she is likely to excel in the ballroom. The show airs every Saturday from 16 September on BBC One.