Today Amanda Abbington issued a statement saying it is with deepest regret that she has left the show and that the decision did not come easily or lightly but for personal reasons I am unable to continue .
The 49-year old Sherlock actress had previously been vocal in her opinions on transgender issues in the months leading up to her announcement as a contestant on the show
Strictly Come Dancing star struck down with vicious illness just weeks before show launch dailyrecord.co.uk - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from dailyrecord.co.uk Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Strictly Come Dancing s Amanda Abbington has insisted she s not transphobic after voluntarily deleting her Twitter account when show fans threatened to boycott the series.