Graziano Di Prima has admitted he kicked Zara McDermott during rehearsals for Strictly Come Dancing last year. The dancer's representative confirmed the incident, which led to Di Prima being dropped from the 2024 professional line-up and his departure from the show.
Di Prima's spokesperson, Mark Borkowski, told the BBC: '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.' Di Prima believed the matter had been resolved, but footage of the incident was reportedly brought to the BBC's attention last week, prompting his removal.
Borkowski added that Di Prima 'does remember that he was pushing [McDermott] quite hard' during the training session in question. However, he said Di Prima 'doesn't recognise some of the issues surrounding it' and that online descriptions do not align with his memory. He dismissed as 'absolute rubbish' the suggestion that this incident represented the entirety of their training relationship, noting there is 'lots of evidence' of them having fun together.
McDermott broke her silence on Tuesday, saying she 'wrestled with the fear of opening up' due to concerns about 'public backlash' and 'victim shaming'. In a statement on Instagram, she said: 'My experience inside the training room was very different' from the rest of the show. She thanked the BBC for their 'swift action and incredibly high level of support'.
The BBC stated it will 'always take [issues] seriously and act swiftly as appropriate'. Di Prima's earlier statement on Saturday 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.' He added that he would share his story 'when the time is right'.
The news follows the departure of Giovanni Pernice from the 2024 line-up amid allegations about his teaching methods, which he rejects. Pernice has said he is co-operating fully with an ongoing BBC investigation.
