Strictly Come Dancing pro Graziano Di Prima breaks silence after being ‘fired’…

July 13, 2024, 2:41 p.m. | Updated: July 13, 2024, 3:04 p.m.

Strictly Come Dancing professional dancer Graziano Di Prima has broken his silence following reports he was fired following allegations of misconduct.

Multiple reports suggest the Strictly pro has been ‘fired’ after allegations of serious misconduct were made against his partner from last year’s series, Zara McDermott.

The Italian dancer’s contract was terminated this week after a meeting with Strictly bosses, according to the Mail on Sunday.

The 30-year-old has now responded to the allegations with a new statement on Instagram.

He said: “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. In respecting the HR process, I understand that it is best for the show that I step away.

“While there are aspects of this story involving outside influences that I cannot discuss at this time, I remain committed to being strong for my family and friends.

“I wish the Strictly family every success in the future. I would also like to thank everyone who has supported my career, both professionally and personally. When the time comes, I will share my story.”

The 30-year-old was due to appear in the next series before being contacted by programme bosses who wanted to question him about his behaviour. A show source said: “Graziano had to leave. It was horrible.”

Di Prima joined the show in 2018 and reached week six with Zara last year after reaching the quarter-finals with actor Kym Marsh in 2022.

A BBC spokesperson confirmed that Di Prima “is no longer part of the line-up of professional dancers for the next series”.

“While we never comment on individual cases, it is well known that the BBC has robust due diligence procedures in place, and if issues are raised we will always take them seriously and act swiftly if necessary,” they said.

In a statement on Instagram, Di Prima said he “deeply regrets” the events that led to his departure and acknowledged that his “intense passion and determination to win could have affected my training schedule.”

The announced dismissal of the Sicilian-born dancer could explain the return of the popular professional Aljaž Škorjanec, two years after his departure.

Di Prima’s sacking has also increased scrutiny on the BBC dance show, which is still watched by more than ten million people, after it plunged into crisis over a harassment investigation.

The complaint against Di Prima was filed recently and prompted the BBC to extend an ongoing investigation into allegations that another former professional, Giovanni Pernice, bullied his partner Amanda Abbington during training.

Pernice has been accused of adopting “militant” training methods for his celebrity partners.

Reports have emerged that his partner of last year, Amanda Abbington, is considering further legal action following accusations that Pernice refused to release their rehearsal videos.

Three of Pernice’s former partners on the show – Laura Whitmore, Michelle Visage and Abbington – have all reportedly contacted a law firm to complain about him.

However, sources on the show say Di Prima’s behavior makes Amanda’s claims that Giovanni injured his toe during rehearsals “minuscule.”

One said: “It seems like everything Gio has done has opened a Pandora’s box.

“It’s incredibly brave of Zara to come forward with her grievances. It’s never easy for a woman or anyone who has been abused to do so.”