Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
Is Beeb trying to destroy Danny?
Wife’s outrage over Strictly bust-up with dancer Amy
THE wife of Danny Johnjules yesterday leapt to his defence after the drama of his bust-up with pro dancer Amy Dowden.
Petula Langlais accused BBC bosses of stitching up the Red Dwarf star after the pro dancer fled training in tears, telling producers she “can’t go on with him”.
The Mirror yesterday revealed show chiefs had told 58-year-old Danny to be “mindful of his behaviour”.
Furious Petula tweeted: “Wow @bbcstrictlypr @ bbcstrictly are really throwing #Dannyjohnjules under that bus! I’m in shock... why are you trying to destroy him?”
But a show insider claimed Amy was “still upset by the whole situation” and added: “It’s hard to see how their relationship will get back on track.” It came as sources revealed the row that sparked her walkout was over footwork for this weekend’s Samba.
But they denied claims Danny was a bully.
A source said: “She was going, ‘back one, two, three, four’ and he was not listening and talking over her.
“She said she can’t take this any more and walked out. She wasn’t in tears around him but then started crying as soon as she stepped out of the door. He is a difficult man but he is not a bully. He is exhausting to be around but never swears or offends on purpose.
“She has never felt threatened but has been upset by him a number of times. Nothing seems to register with him.”
Danny and Amy last night put up a united front on spin-off show It Takes Two. She said: “Things did get a little intense the other day. But we took a half an hour break and got straight to it. I’ve never felt threatened or bullied by Danny.”
Danny added: “Well, all I can tell you is that the only reason I’m here, this far, is because of Amy and I would never bite the hand that feeds me. She is the boss. Why would I argue with a Welsh woman?”
Danny, whose performances have been watched in the studio by Petula and children Dante, 12, and Danae, 10, compared himself in a tweet to King Kong grabbing a screaming girl. He said: “My conscience has never been clearer.”