Sacked Strictly star Graziano Di Prima ‘kicked and hit’ Zara McDermott in training

Former Strictly Come Dancing star Graziano Di Prima reportedly ‘kicked and hit’ hit his partner Zara McDermott when they were training for the 2023 series, it’s been alleged.

On Saturday July 13, the professional dancer confirmed in a statement that he had left the BBC series, after it was claimed that there were ‘physical incidents’ that occurred behind the scenes, which were investigated internally.

This news has come following an investigation that is being conducted into the behaviour of ex Strictly star Giovanni Pernice, who was labelled ‘nasty’ by his former partner Amanda Abbington, who withdrew from the competition prematurely last year.

Giovanni, 33, said that he looked forward to ‘clearing his name’ as he rejected ‘any suggestion of abusive or threatening behaviour’.

Following allegations of ‘physical incidents’ made against him, Graziano wrote in a statement posted on Instagram: ‘I deeply regret the actions that led to my departure from Strictly. My intense passion and determination to win might have affected my training regime.

‘Respecting the BBC HR process, I understand it’s best for the show that I step away. While there are aspects of this story involving external influences that I can’t discuss at this time, I remain committed to being strong for my family and friends.

‘I wish the Strictly family and the BBC nothing but success in the future. I also want to thank everyone who has supported my career, both professionally and personally. When the time is right, I will share my story.’

The BBC confirmed the 30-year-old’s exit from Strictly in a statement, which read: ‘We can confirm that Graziano Di Prima is no longer a part of the line-up of professional dancers for the upcoming series of Strictly Come Dancing.

‘While we would never comment on individual cases, it is well-known that the BBC has established and robust duty of care procedures, and if issues are raised we will always take them seriously and act swiftly as appropriate.’

The news of Graziano’s exit from Strictly came after it was announced that he would be in the professional dancer line-up for the upcoming 2024 series, which will mark the show’s 20th anniversary.

In a new update, it’s been alleged that Graziano reportedly ‘kicked and hit’ Zara while they were training for Strictly.

According to The Mail on Sunday, former Love Island star Zara, 27, experienced repeated ‘physical and verbal abuse’ behind the scenes of the show.

At the time of writing, Graziano and Zara no longer follow each other on Instagram.

The Italian professional dancer first joined Strictly in 2018, with his first celebrity partner being TV and radio presenter Vick Hope.

He went on to be partnered with celebrities including Loose Women star Judi Love and Coronation Street actress Kym Marsh.

Metro.co.uk has contacted representatives of Graziano Di Prima and Zara McDermott for comment.