Strictly Come Dancing’s Graziano Di Prima has responded to claims his partner Zara McDermott danced in agony on a broken leg
Graziano Di Prima has hit back following claims his partner Zara McDermott danced with a broken leg during their final week on Strictly Come Dancing.
A war of words has erupted between the two, who previously appeared to be close friends on the show, after Graziano was suddenly dropped from the series this month.
Last night it was revealed that Zara broke a leg bone during training for the now crisis-hit BBC series and continued to dance despite her pain.
Reports last night claimed that Zara only revealed the extent of her injuries as part of an inquiry into misconduct allegations. It was claimed she told Graziano about her agony but the pair agreed to plough on before losing in the dance-off anyway. Following their elimination, Zara went to receive medical treatment in hospital.
The moment Zara McDermott is said to have danced on a broken leg ( Image: PA)
Zara was seen patching up her injuries in training after hurting her toe ( Image: Instagram)
Graziano has now broken his silence to dismiss claims the BBC were in the dark about Zara’s injuries. The professional dancer also said he received ‘no guidance’ about the severity of his partner’s pain when they continued to perform.
He told the Mirror: “BBC physios were present all week, monitoring the situation and were aware of the pain. I received no guidance on the severity of any injuries, and from what I understood, Zara wanted to continue dancing.”
His family also told the Mirror they are now concerned for Graziano’s wellfare. They said a wave of recent allegations have left the dancer needing medical supervision owing to the stress of the situation.
In a statement they said: “Graziano is currently under medical supervision, with the stress of the situation causing significant concern for his family, who are monitoring him hourly. The unrelenting feeding frenzy over these accusations and his mental state leaves him at this time unable to defend himself.”
Zara and Graziano were eliminated from the show in the same week she injured her leg ( Image: BBC/Guy Levy)
Graziano had previously claimed he looked forward to speaking out but was unable to do so due to strict BBC HR guidelines. “When the time is right I will tell my story” he vowed.
Graziano did however, through a spokesperson, admit to an incident of kicking Zara in training.
“There is never a time when kicking, or any sense of that is right,” Di Prima’s spokesman, Mark Borkowski said, “And he knows that. He knows he’s made a mistake. He apologised at the time.”
Zara’s representatives then issued a new statement in response to the assertion that Graziano ‘kicked her once’. “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,” they said.
Pete Wicks, who is close friends with Zara McDermott, is said to be competing on this year’s show
Pete, Sam Thompson and Graziano became close during last series show ( Image: Instagram)This week it was reported that Zara McDermott’s close friend, and her boyfriend Sam Thompson’s podcast co-host, Pete Wicks, is to star on the upcoming series of Strictly.
Sources close to the show said the TOWIE alumni is the second star to sign up after DIY SOS host Nick Knowles. The news came as a surprise to some fans given Pete’s closeness to Zara and Sam, who has supported her through the last few weeks.
Pete even posed for pictures with Graziano backstage at Strictly with the duo joking about their similar looks.
Zara previously said she did not speak up about Graziano’s alleged behaviour until the BBC investigation as she was afraid of ‘victim blaming’.
She said in a statement: “I was scared about public backlash, I was scared about my future, I was scared of victim shaming,” she said.
Speaking out after Graziano was revealed to have left the show, she said: “I felt it was right that I post something regarding the recent media reports.
She said she “fully understood the level of commitment and hard work that Strictly was going to be and I dedicated everything to it”.
“I am a resilient person and I was fully prepared to put in whatever it took,” she added. “And so much of my Strictly experience was everything I could have dreamt 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.”
In his statement Graziano said: “I deeply regret the events 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.”
He added: “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.”
