Vito Coppola has revealed that his close friendship with former Strictly Come Dancing professional Graziano Di Prima remains strong, a year after Di Prima's departure from the show. The Italian dancer shared a video of their FaceTime call on Instagram, captioning it: 'Always start the day with love. Love and miss you @grazianodiprima,' and adding the hashtag 'true friendship never dies'.
Graziano Di Prima was initially set to return for Strictly's 20th-anniversary series in 2024, but the BBC confirmed he would no longer be part of the professional line-up. A spokesperson stated that the BBC has 'robust duty of care procedures' and takes issues seriously. Di Prima later said he 'deeply regretted' the circumstances leading to his exit.
Despite the controversy, Vito and Graziano have maintained their bond. They were seen together in December 2024 at the finale of Ballando con le Stelle, Italy's version of Strictly, which was won by another former Strictly pro, Giovanni Pernice.
Vito, who joined Strictly in 2022 and has reached the final with each of his celebrity partners—Fleur East, Ellie Leach, and Sarah Hadland—is now preparing for the upcoming series. He will be joined by a roster of returning professionals, including Dianne Buswell, Amy Dowden, and Aljaž Škorjanec, as well as new additions Alexis Warr and Julian Caillon.
Strictly Come Dancing is set to return to BBC One later this year.
