The Strictly Come Dancing professional dancer fired by the BBC following allegations that he had kicked his celebrity partner has given his first interview, saying that he never assaulted his partner, and that the “vile, false allegations had ruined his life in a matter of minutes.”
Graziano Di Prima was fired from the show after claims that he had assaulted television presenter Zara McDermott during rehearsals for last year’s season. The allegations included kicking, hitting and spitting, and Di Prima made a public apology on his departure, saying that his competitive training regime had sometimes led him to make mistakes.
This weekend, in an interview with the Daily Mail newspaper from his native Italy where he has returned to live, the dancer says:
- The BBC will not tell him exactly what he is accused of, because of their obligations to maintain the confidentiality of other parties
- That he once kicked the floor in frustration, and his foot brushed McDermott’s body. He apologised at the time and they carried on training together
- McDermott continued to send him friendly messages after their time on the show concluded, up until July of this year. Days after their final exchange, he was told by the BBC he was being fired.
- Family members maintain a constant watch on him, concerned that he may do himself physical harm following his high-profile firing
Di Prima was a popular professional dancer on the hit BBC show for six years before his abrupt departure. He now says he is determined to dance professionally again, and for this controversy not to define the rest of his life.
The BBC’s director-general Tim Davie made a public apology a fortnight ago after several contestants on the long-running show went public with their concerns about their treatment behind the scenes. The BBC has instituted new procedures for the imminent new season, including a chaperone being present at all times during rehearsals. Davie said the BBC took all complaints seriously.
The bad press for the long-running show (which is sold to more than 60 territories across the world, including the US where it is called Dancing With the Stars) was ignited by the complaints of another contestant Amanda Abbington, who said she had been diagnosed with PTSD following her training with professional dancer Giovanni Pernice. Pernice has also left the show, but denies all the allegations made against him, and a BBC investigation has yet to announce its findings.
