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Strictly star says competing on the BBC series left her with PTSD-Pierra Willix-Entertainment – Metro
‘I don’t think even production are aware of quite what it does to people.’
![Strictly star says competing on the BBC series left her with PTSD-Pierra Willix-Entertainment – Metro](https://metro.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/SEI_126655529-cbcb.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&w=1024)
A former Strictly Come Dancing star has said she was left with PTSD after the show (Picture: PA)
Rachel Riley has said she was left with post-traumatic stress disorder after competing on Strictly Come Dancing.
The Countdown presenter, 38, competed on the BBC dancing series in 2013, where she was paired with future husband Pasha Kovalev.
They were eliminated in week six of the show, after losing out in the dance-off against Abbey Clancy and Aljaž Škorjanec, who went on to win the season.
Rachel has previously spoke about how she suffered from stage fright while appearing on the show but has now said it went further.
‘I know from my time on it, 11 years ago, even the most sane, solid, grounded people, it can do something to you,’ she said at the recent Inspiration Awards For Women at The Landmark Hotel in London.
‘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 Riley competed on the series in 2013 (Picture: Guy Levy/BBC, Provider: PA Copyright: PA(Credits: PA)
She added, as reported by the Daily Mail: ‘When I was doing it, I was recommended CBT, and I think that’s actually been really great.’
CBT is a talking therapy that can help patients manage problems by altering the way they think about them and is often used to treat anxiety, depression and PTSD.
In a statement to Metro.co.uk, a BBC spokesperson said planning around care for those taking part in and competing in our programmes was ‘always a core part of our production process and we have BBC editorial guidelines to help protect those taking part’.
‘We have plans which cover initial casting through to pre-production, to after care beyond transmission.
The Countdown presenter has said she was left shaken by the experience (Picture: Kate Green/Getty Images)
‘Depending on the production we offer support such as meetings with psychologists, Mental Health First Aiders on set and individually, as well as advice on social media use and working with the press.’
They added there was also a safeguarding team of health and wellbeing professionals to give support regarding the mental health of our contributors.
‘We continue to work with producers, external specialists and others in the industry as well as our own specialist advisers to develop best practice in this area to help protect those taking part in our shows.’
She was paired with now-husband Pasha Kovalev (Picture: Anthony Devlin/Getty Images)
Rachel had previously said that for a majority of her time on the show, she struggled to shake her nerves.
‘As soon as the music would start, I would have a fuzzy brain and it was like an out-of-body experience,’ she said.
She also once warned others to think twice about appearing.
‘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.
Her comments come after Amanda Abbington was also diagnosed with PTSD last year (Picture: PA)
‘I don’t think there is enough awareness of the psychological effects it has.’
Her comments come after Amanda Abbington revealed last year she’d been diagnosed with ‘mild PTSD’ after quitting the series.
Bowing out due to ‘personal reasons’, there were also claims she’d been feuding with professional partner Giovanni Pernice, 33.
Amanda was left so shaken from her experience that she demanded footage of their rehearsals to back up her claim of PTSD and while she initially made a complaint against the BBC, it has now been dropped.
Metro.co.uk has contacted representatives for Rachel Riley for comment.
Strictly Come Dancing is streaming on BBC iPlayer.
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