Rachel Riley walked out on Tuesday after her claims that Strictly gave her PTSD and compared it to a “hostage situation” resurfaced amid the show’s “abuse” crisis.
The 38-year-old Countdown presenter emerged from the TV studios in Manchester wearing a pair of tight shorts and a yellow T-shirt.
Rachel competed on Strictly in 2013, where she was paired with her current husband Pasha Kovalev, with whom she shares two children.
And in April this year, Rachel said the show left her with PTSD and called for all contestants to undergo cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT).
This comes as the show has entered a crisis in recent weeks as the dismissal of professionals Graziano Di Prima and Giovanni Pernice over allegations of misconduct has led to other celebrities speaking out about negative experiences on the show.
Rachel Riley walked out on Tuesday after her claims that Strictly gave her PTSD and compared it to a “hostage situation” resurfaced amid the show’s “abuse” crisis.
Rachel competed on Strictly in 2013, where she was paired with her current husband Pasha Kovalev, with whom she shares two children.
Rachel said of her PTSD: “I got PTSD after watching Strictly. A lot of people who have experienced it can relate to that. It’s like a traumatic situation, like a hostage situation, not with your partner, but with the show.
‘You love doing it and it’s so much fun, you get all the endorphins from the workout and you accomplish something just by being in the moment.
‘The only thing you’re supposed to do is learn this dance, that’s all you’re doing, you have no distractions, you don’t have to do laundry, check your phone, you don’t have to do anything else.
‘At the end of the week, you’ve accomplished it, you’ve done it, and you have that gratification.
“The dance was very scary and brought up a lot of emotions. Every year Pasha would do it and I would remember what happened in my week and all the emotions I was feeling, and then with the next person I would empathize too much and every year layers of memories would build up and I wouldn’t enjoy it.”
“I’ve known since I used it 11 years ago that it can do something to even the most sensible, solid, down-to-earth people,” she added while speaking at the Inspiration Awards For Women at London’s Landmark Hotel.
“And I’ve seen a lot of people over the years who have shared that experience. I don’t think even the producers are aware of what that does to people.”
“When I was doing it, I was recommended CBT and I think it’s really been great.”
In April this year, Rachel said the show left her with PTSD and called for all contestants to undergo cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT).
Rachel said of her PTSD: “I got PTSD after watching Strictly. A lot of people who have experienced it can relate to it. It’s like a traumatic situation, like a hostage situation, not with your partner, but with the show.”
CBT is a talking therapy that can help patients manage problems by changing the way they think about them.
It is often used to treat anxiety, depression, and PTSD and focuses on improving a person’s mental state.
A treatment with an NHS therapist can usually last between six and twenty one-hour sessions.
He also previously admitted to experiencing an “out-of-body experience” as soon as the music started.
Needing to deal with her anxiety issues, she sought the help of a psychotherapist before leaving the series during the final week.
Amanda Abbington left the show last year after claiming that her partner Giovanni was abusive. He later left the show after vehemently denying all allegations.
Fellow Italian dancer Graziano Di Prima was fired from the show earlier this month after being accused of kicking and spitting on Zara McDermott.
Tim Davie said on Tuesday he was “very sorry” to anyone who “had an experience on Strictly that wasn’t entirely positive.”
Speaking candidly on the High Performance Woman podcast, Rachel said: ‘I’d never danced a step in my life and it was absolutely terrifying.
‘You go in there on Sunday to learn a new dance and on Saturday you’re dancing in front of 10 million people.’
“So the judges are saying, ‘It would be like the end of the world.’ I think I participated in the dance competition, which is like dancing through life to decide whether you’re eliminated or you stay.
‘And the next week I was on the floor dancing and Pasha, my partner, said to me ‘you’re not there’ and told me to go see Michael (the psychotherapist).’