Rachel Riley has revealed being a contestant on
Strictly Come Dancing let her with PTSD. The Countdown star, 38, appeared on the
BBC dance competition back in 2013 and has reflected on her own experiences while on the show. It comes after 2023 contestant Amanda Abbington claimed she had been diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder after starring on the show with dancer Giovanni Pernice. Rachel, who is married to former Strictly professional Pasha Kovalev, has called for all of the show's contestants to receive cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT). "I know from my time on it, 11 years ago, even the most sane, solid, grounded people, it can do something to you," she admitted. "And there’s so many people that I’ve seen in subsequent years that have that shared experience. I don’t think even production are aware of quite what it does to people," Rachel explained at the Inspiration Awards For
Women at The Landmark Hotel in
London. Speaking to The Mirror back in 2021, Rachel reflected on her Strictly experience. She told us: "I needed cognitive behavioural therapy after competing in 2013 and developed post-traumatic stress disorder. If I heard the theme
music, I’d start reliving the experience. It was scary and unnerving, so my way of dealing with it is to avoid watching. Mind you, if I hadn’t competed I wouldn’t have met Pasha! He’s just brilliant." Big Easter Bank Holiday home, garden and DIY deals at Dunelm, B&Q, Homebase and
Amazon Rachel was partnered with her now-husband Pasha on Strictly ( Image: PA) The maths whizz was partnered with her now-husband Pasha on the show, where they were voted off in week six. She previously warned hopeful contestants to think twice about starring on Strictly. “I advise
Friends not to go on the show and I know people who have dropped out of it due to the mental pressures involved,” she told The Times . “I don't think there is enough awareness of the psychological effects it has. I am a maths geek, not a performer,” she said, noting that contestants have to be “mentally strong” so they can withstand the criticism from the judges. The Sherlock star Amanda Abbington quit the latest series of the show halfway through citing medical reasons. She later claimed she was diagnosed with PTSD following her time on the show and reportedly requested backstage footage of her time there. The
Actress reportedly met with Giovanni's former dance partners Ranvir Singh and Laura Whitmore to discuss their experiences of working with the dancer. New reports suggest Steps star Faye Tozer also struggled to work with him. Giovanni's future on Strictly has been put in doubt following the reports he is "too intense" to train and dance with. Speaking about the aftermath of her time on Strictly, Amanda said: "I told a few people about that, in the utmost confidence, among other things that were happening in my life . . . both professionally and personally. I’m very sorry that people felt the need to send me death threats, threaten my children and bring up my past, healthy relationship with an ex-partner as an indicator of my current mental health . I wish those people well.” The Mirror has reached out to Strictly for comment. Follow Mirror Celebs on TikTok , Snapchat ,
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