Graziano Di Prima has owned up to kicking Zara McDermott during their stint on Strictly Come Dancing last year.
The Italian’s rep confirmed he did kick the ex-Love Island babe during rehearsals, which led to his swift exit from the show and the Beeb axing him from the 2024 squad of dance pros. Graziano waved goodbye to the Strictly gang in a social media post last Saturday.
Claims emerged that Graziano had “hit, kick and spat on” Zara during rehearsals. Zara spoke of the incident this week, explaining to her followers she kept quiet as she was scared of being shamed for speaking up.
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But now, it’s out in the open that Graziano did indeed kick her during a rehearsal. His spokesman said to BBC News: “There is never a time when kicking, or any sense of that is right. And he knows that.
“He knows he’s made a mistake. He apologised at the time.”
(Image: Getty Images for GAY TIMES)
A clip of the kick surfaced last week, leading the BBC to give him the boot from this year’s lineup, reports the Mirror. Zara bravely opened up about her “fear of opening up” after her stint on Strictly Come Dancing, following the controversy surrounding Di Prima’s departure.
Taking to Instagram, she penned: “So much of my Strictly experience was everything I could have dreamed of. The entire production team and everyone behind the scenes as well as my fellow contestants were so amazing to work with.
“However, 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.”
(Image: BBC/Summer Films/Samuel Lax)
She added: “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 conversations 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.
“The culture within our society makes it difficult for people to speak up, especially in a world where social media opinions and voices are so loud. This is something I’ve seen through working with countless women on my documentaries.”
McDermott also expressed gratitude towards the BBC and BBC Studios, the producers of Strictly, for their “swift action and incredibly high level of support”.
The BBC have said they “will always take [complaints] seriously and act swiftly as appropriate”.
Graziano also spoke up about the incident: “I deeply regret the events that led to my departure from Strictly.”
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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
