Dance Moms star Abbey Lee Miller sued by teenage dancer for alleged physical and emotional abuse

Daughter joins mother in filing lawsuit against TV star

Abbey Lee Miller has been a guest judge on the US show Dancing With The Stars, a copy of the Strictly Come Dancing format (Adam Taylor/ABC via Getty Images)

A 13-year-old dancer is suing Abby Lee Miller, star of US TV show Dance Moms, claiming she was terrorised by the famously tough coach.

Celebrity news website TMZ says it has obtained a copy of the lawsuit filed by Paige Hyland who claims to be suffering panic attacks and extreme anxiety as a result of her time on the programme.

The show, which airs on American channel Lifetime and has inspired a spin-off version in the UK, sees Miller tour the country in search of elite young dancers for her company.

Among Hyland’s allegations are that Lee Miller would “pinch” dancers “until they bled” and even “physically attack” others on the set, TMZ reported.

She also claimed Miller’s aim was to make the girls cry, ridicule them for being “emotionally weak”, call them names and insult their looks all for the sake of drama, it added.

Hyland's lawyer, Michael Shapiro, told the website: “I'm not looking to make a lot of money off this.

“I think what Miller has done to the kids is intolerable and has got to stop. It's the most repugnant case I've been involved in after 49 years of practice.”

It’s not the first time Miller, who has been a guest judge on US Strictly copycat Dancing With The Stars, has been sued by the family.

Kelly Hyland – mother to Paige – is still pursuing a lawsuit against the professional choreographer for allegedly emotionally abusing her daughter.