Strictly dancer set to sue BBC over abuse allegations

Strictly Come Dancing has been in trouble in recent months following the fallout from Graziano Di Prima and Giovanni Pernice’s respective scandals and now the show has hit another snag as it faces legal action.

Former cast member Graziano Di Prima has reportedly “hired a team of high-powered lawyers to sue the BBC” after the professional dancer was fired from the show in July.

The Italian was fired after it was alleged he verbally and physically abused Love Island’s Zara McDermott when she was his celebrity partner during last year’s episode of the show.

A source told The Sun: “Graziano feels he has not had the opportunity to give his side of the story and was therefore heartened to hear that the legal team believe he has a case for unfair dismissal.”

The dancer has hired top lawyers at Whitestone Chambers to try to clear his name, with the source claiming the legal team have already “scoured through thousands of messages between Graziano and Zara and the other Strictly dancers”.

The Sun previously reported that the dancer chased Zara into a bathroom, spat at her and verbally abused her during rehearsals last year. BBC bosses reportedly sacked Graziano after seeing a video of him kicking the reality star.

At the time, he said on social media: “I deeply regret the events that led to my departure from Strictly.”

“My intense passion and determination to win may have affected my training schedule.”

I have not yet commented on the situation.