Sam Thompson made a TV appearance the day after his girlfriend Zara McDermott’s Strictly Come Dancing partner Graziano di Prima confirmed he was leaving the BBC series.
The TV star was on Sunday’s edition of Love Island: Aftersun, where he discussed the past week in the villa with fellow panellists Indiyah Polack and Chris Taylor, main show host Maya Jama, as well as special guests.
For the episode, Sam, 31, put on a brave face and was his typical jovial self while analysing the islanders’ behaviour and making predictions about future drama on the ITV dating show.
Wearing an England shirt in support of the team reaching the Euros 2024 final, he passionately gave his thoughts on what the couples were doing right and wrong.
Off-camera, Sam has been more subdued deciding not to post on his social media pages since Graziano’s statement.
Join Metro’s Strictly community on WhatsApp
Want to be the first to get all the latest news and rumours from the Strictly dancefloor?
Join our Strictly Come Dancing WhatsApp channel to keep up to date with all the behind-the-scenes gossip about your favourite pros, judges and celebrities.
Simply , select ‘Join Chat’ and you’re in! Don’t forget to turn on notifications so you can see when we’ve just dropped the latest spoilers. Keep dancing!
The Italian dancer was paired with documentary maker Zara, 27, on the dancing show in 2023 before they were eliminated in week six. During their rehearsals for the live shows, he reportedly ‘kicked and hit’ her.
The Sun alleged that BBC acted quickly after reviewing video evidence and speaking to Zara.
After the claims of ‘physical incidents’ Graziano, 30, put out a statement to say he ‘deeply regrets’ his actions. He was previously confirmed to be part of the lineup of professional dancers for the 2024 series, which will celebrate the show’s 20th anniversary, but he will no longer be involved.
‘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,’ he wrote on Instagram.
‘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.
Graziano concluded: ‘When the time is right, I will share my story.’
Zara, who originally found fame on Love Island, no longer follows Graziano, who wed fellow dancer Giada Lini in 2022, on the social media platform.
Graziano 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, but Zara will now be his last.
The BBC confirmed the dancer’s departure in a statement: ‘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 departure follows an investigation that is being conducted into the behaviour of ex-Strictly star Giovanni Pernice by the BBC.
His most recent partner Amanda Abbingtonquit Strictly after five weeks last year, citing ‘personal reasons’ at the time, before saying her experience. Giovanni will not be part of the 2024 lineup.
Meanwhile, Aljaž Škorjanec is making a return to Strictly two years after his surprise exit from the BBC juggernaut.
Zara and Sam started dating in 2019 after they began communicating on Instagram.
Sam told OK! Magazine: ‘She slid into my DMs. It was great and I’m glad she did.’
The couple now live together in London and regularly feature in humorous online content together and publicly support each other’s careers.
In recent weeks, there have been surrounded by split rumours, which increased when I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here winner Sam was spotted crying on friend Pete Wicks’ shoulder.
However, he insisted on the podcast Staying Relevant that there was more to the picture.
‘There was a paparazzi shot saying ‘Sam Thompson crying after THAT argument with girlfriend Zara’ after the Soccer Aid thing. They linked both of them together.’
He then explained: ‘Firstly, there’s no way of getting around it. I had actually received some bad news, so I actually was really sad, I’m not going to lie about it, I was. And Pete being my best mate then took me outside.’
Zara – who appeared alongside Sam on Made In Chelsea – also explained that she was passionately consoling him after Soccer Aid, rather than engaging in an argument.
‘It looks like we are having an argument but I’m actually telling him positive affirmations in a very passionate manner,’ she stated.
Hot Property Picks from Metro
What I Rent: At 23 years old, I live in a £2,450pcm London flat in Zone 1
The ‘vibrant’ London borough where rents are falling the fastest
Inside the Victorian boathouse that’s just sold for twice the price of a UK home
I rented a room to a nice woman – then an armed gunman showed up
The real cost of living in Wimbledon — that is often overlooked