Amanda Abbington has returned to set alongside Emma Thompson in North London for her first major TV role since her Strictly Come Dancing row reopened.
The 53-year-old Sherlock actress was spotted filming scenes for the second series of Apple TV's detective thriller Down Cemetery Road, having had her casting announced in July.
Abbington wore a brunette hairstyle with a fringe, a summer dress, a trench coat, and trainers while clutching a blue bag as she walked through the streets during filming.
The actress appeared smiling and happy to be back at work alongside Oscar-winning star Thompson, who wore casual clothing and a grey pixie crop for the scene.
Thompson was pictured filming action-packed scenes for the drama, while actress Ruth Wilson was also seen on set shooting alongside her.
Down Cemetery Road first hit screens last year and follows the aftermath of a child's disappearance and subsequent conspiracy theories in the suburbs of South Oxford.
Thompson plays private investigator Zoë Boehm in the series, which is adapted from the mystery novels of Mick Herron, the author behind the acclaimed spy drama Slow Horses. Abbington's specific role in the show has not yet been announced.
Strictly Come Dancing row and book allegations
Abbington's return to television comes amid renewed off-screen controversy surrounding her bitter fallout with her former Strictly Come Dancing partner Giovanni Pernice.
The actress made a sudden exit from the BBC flagship dance competition just weeks into the 2023 series and subsequently accused Pernice of "vile abuse", triggering an official BBC investigation.
The conflict erupted again following the release of Pernice's new autobiography, Taking the Lead, which was serialised in The Mail on Sunday last weekend.
In the memoir, Pernice stated that the fallout had left him feeling suicidal, while maintaining that he believed his working relationship with Abbington was based on friendly banter.
Pernice also claimed in the book that Abbington had performed a deeply offensive Nazi salute during a rehearsal. He stated that although he could have reported the gesture to Strictly bosses, he chose not to file a formal complaint.
Pernice wrote: "If somebody calls me rude names and makes rude gestures, including a Nazi salute (which Amanda did), it means our banter is at that level."
Rebuttal and audio recording evidence
Abbington issued a swift rebuttal to the claims published in the memoir, stating that Pernice was attempting to rewrite the narrative surrounding their time on the show.
"He is grossly mischaracterising what happened to suit his own narrative but I have no interest in engaging with that. My focus is on moving forward," Abbington said.
She added: "He took part in the BBC investigation that made findings against him, following which the channel paid me compensation."
Abbington took particular exception to Pernice's assertion regarding the Nazi salute, having previously stated that his behaviour during training led to her being diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
It also emerged that Pernice had submitted a 28-minute audio recording to BBC investigators from a conversation with Abbington.
In the recording, Abbington told Pernice that she knew she was a "nightmare" and remarked that she would "throw me out of the window" if she were in his position.
BBC investigation findings and settlement
Following its official enquiry, the BBC cleared Pernice of the most serious allegations made against him, while issuing a formal apology to Abbington.
The BBC investigation reviewed several hours of rehearsal footage and concluded that some of the language Pernice used toward Abbington was "belittling".
The report agreed with the Mr Selfridge star that Pernice's feedback was at times "overly negative" and that he had used profanity during rehearsal sessions.
Investigators also identified two instances of "inappropriate behaviour of sexual banter in the workplace", though the report noted these were "made and received as jokes" between the pair.
Pernice subsequently departed Strictly Come Dancing following the conclusion of the enquiry.
BBC Studios later agreed to a five-figure out-of-court settlement with Abbington, along with a contribution toward her legal fees, in a move reported to prevent a lengthy legal dispute and allow her to move forward.
A source told The Sun on Sunday: "Amanda's friends and family are all relieved for her that this ordeal is finally over. It's been a long, hard journey, but now she can close this chapter and move on with her life."
The source added: "The fact the BBC have compensated Amanda as well as previously publicly apologising really proves that they are taking responsibility for the bullying she suffered on set. She hopes that this case will give others strength and encourage people to speak up."
Representatives for Amanda Abbington were contacted by the Daily Mail for comment, while BBC representatives declined to comment when approached.
