Strictly Come Dancing’s once wholesome reputation has been under question recently as two professional dancers have left following claims of “misconduct”.
When a BBC probe into the series was launched following complaints, professional dancer Graziano Di Prima, 30, was axed from the show. His partner of last year, Love island star Zara McDermott, then broke her silence about her “distressing” Strictly experience with with Italian dancer.
Last month, McDermott, 27, issued a statement following Di Prima’s sacking. She claimed: “My experience inside the training room was very different. Reports have been made about my treatment on the show and there were witnesses to some events, as well as videos of particular incidents which are incredibly distressing to watch.”
She went on to explain why she initially held back from speaking out against the dancer, adding: “I have wrestled with the fear of opening up – I was scared about public backlash, I was scared about my future, I was scared of victim shaming.
“But after a lot of conversation with those I love, I’ve gained the strength to face these fears, and when I was asked to speak to the BBC, I spoke candidly about my time on the show.”
Di Prima also released a statement after he was axed, and later followed up by admitting to having “kicked” McDermott. His spokesperson Mark Borkowski stated: “There is never a time when kicking, or any sense of that is right.”
Graziano Di Prima has shared the ‘most recent conversation’ he had with Zara McDermott
Getty
He went on to tell the BBC: “He apologised at the time.” However, McDermott went on to hit back that the “abusive” behaviour hadn’t been “a singular incident”.
McDermott’s representatives told the BBC: “It’s a matter of public record that the BBC deemed the conduct to be so severe that they removed him from the show immediately.
“Zara has already confirmed in a statement released on her social media earlier this week that the reported conduct was not a singular incident.”
However, in another bombshell claim, Di Prima seems has made more claims after a lengthy period of silence to reveal his final conversation with McDermott, in which the two reportedly arranged to meet up.
In a new interview, Di Prima said of the reality star: “I thought we were friends, we were friends.”
Zara McDermott appeared in last year’s Strictly Come Dancing alongside Graziano
Getty
Speaking to the Daily Mail, he explained that on the day he found out he’d been sacked from the show, McDermott had sent him a video on her cat along with a complaint about the weather while he was on holiday in Sicily.
He explained his wife Giada Lini had replied to her saying: “I’ll try and send the sun to you,” before adding: “Anyway, my darling, we’re going to see you very soon because we’re going to be in the UK so we need to go out together and we can organise dinner in our new apartment. Sending love.”
The dancer went on to reveal how 20 minutes later, the BBC got in touch with him to confirm his axe, and how he hasn’t heard from McDermott since.
He added: “You can’t imagine how many times my mind has been going back and forward trying to think of something that happened all those months ago that I can’t figure out,” The Mirror reports.
He went on to say he “didn’t deliberately hurt anyone,” stating: “I’m not a monster. I’m not an abusive man.”
Graziano Di Prima has stated ‘I’m not a monster’ following the claims
Getty
The publication reported the dancer claimed: “The only thing I can think of is the time I kicked the floor in frustration.
“We’d practised hour after hour to perfect a routine with lifts. It wasn’t easy but that’s the pressure of the show.
“I wasn’t meaning to kick her. I’d never, never do that. My foot brushed her after I kicked the floor. Afterwards, I hugged her and said I was sorry. There was no problem. We carried on.”
The BBC revealed recently it would be introducing new measures to the show, such as chaperones during rehearsals.
GB News has contacted McDermott’s representatives for comment on the claims.