Strictly Come Dancing professional Graziano Di Prima has admitted to kicking his celebrity partner Zara McDermott during rehearsals last year. His spokesman, Mark Borkowski, told BBC News on Thursday that Di Prima acknowledges the incident, stating: “There is never a time when kicking, or any sense of that is right. And he knows that.”
A video of the incident is believed to have been brought to the BBC’s attention last week, leading to Di Prima’s dismissal from the show. The footage has not been made public, and the circumstances surrounding it remain unknown. Di Prima “does remember that he was pushing [McDermott] quite hard” in training on that day, Borkowski said, but he “doesn’t recognise some of the issues surrounding it,” referring to reports that Di Prima also spat on McDermott. “The descriptions of what is being commented online, and how he remembers it, are not aligned,” the spokesman added.
Borkowski dismissed claims that the incident was typical of their training, calling it “absolute rubbish” and noting that there is “lots of evidence” of the pair having fun together. The news comes amid a wider investigation into off-screen rehearsals on Strictly, following concerns raised by actress Amanda Abbington about her partner Giovanni Pernice, who left the show earlier this year. A third professional dancer, not part of the current line-up, has also been named as a “person of interest,” according to a source quoted by The Sun.
Di Prima attributed his behaviour to his “intense passion and determination to win,” expressing regret over the events leading to his departure. He said: “I deeply regret the events that led to my departure from Strictly. Respecting the BBC HR process, I understand it’s best for the show that I step away.” Zara McDermott, a former Love Island star, revealed she initially stayed silent due to fears of victim-blaming, but confirmed that reports have been made about her treatment and that videos of incidents exist. The BBC has stated it will listen to any concerns raised, and as a result of the investigation, chaperones will now oversee all future rehearsals.
