Graziano Di Prima has been axed from Strictly Come Dancing after an investigation found he “punched and kicked” his former celebrity partner Zara McDermott.
But just two weeks before his firing, Graziano praised how his wife Giada Lini and Zara had shared a friendship.
Asked how the married couple deal with the Strictly “curse” in an interview with OK! magazine, Giada said cheating can happen anywhere, but the important thing is to trust your partner.
And revealing the pair had socialised with Zara outside the training studio, Graziano added: “We always include our dance partners and go out for dinner and get to know each other.”
The dancer had also said in the interview that he and Giada were thinking about starting a family, weeks before he was fired and “fled the UK to Italy to start a new life.”
Just two weeks before he was sacked for allegedly “punching and kicking” Zara McDermott, Graziano gushed about the close friendship between his wife Giada Lidi and the Love Island star.
Revealing the pair had socialised with Zara outside the training studio, Graziano added: “We always include our dance partners and go out for dinner and get to know each other.”
On having children, Graziano said: ‘We are both dancers and I always tell my wife that when she feels ready, I will be here to support her.’
Graziano married Giada in a lavish ceremony in Sicily in 2022, seven years after they met.
MailOnline revealed that Strictly production staff raised concerns about Graziano’s behaviour last year, but bosses only went so far as to issue him silent warnings.
The group expected him to be sacked immediately. They are said to be furious that their complaints were ignored, meaning the abuse against Zara was allowed to continue. Graziano has even been booked for the upcoming 2024 series of Strictly.
A source from the show said: “There were multiple occasions where physical and verbal attacks took place. It was more physical than verbal, but it was all appalling.”
It wasn’t until staff got their hands on a video purportedly showing Graziano repeatedly hitting Zara, nine months after her initial complaint, that he was fired.
Zara has now broken her silence on reports that Graziano verbally and physically abused her.
The Love Island star wrote on Instagram on Tuesday morning that while “much” of her Strictly experience “was everything I could have dreamed of”, her “experience inside the training room was very different”.
Graziano married Giada in a lavish ceremony in Sicily in 2022, seven years after they met.
MailOnline revealed that Strictly production staff raised concerns about Graziano’s behaviour last year, but bosses only went so far as to issue him silent warnings.
Zara has since broken her silence after Graziano was fired from Strictly over reports that he verbally and physically abused her.
“I felt it was only right to post something about the recent media reports,” Zara began.
‘Strictly is one of the most magical shows on television and one I’ve dreamed of ever since I was a little girl.’
“When I was asked to take part in the show, it was like a childhood dream had come true. I fully understood the level of commitment and hard work that Strictly would entail and I threw myself into it. I am a resilient person and was fully prepared to give whatever it took.”
“And so much of my experience on Strictly was everything I could have dreamed of. The entire production team and everyone behind the scenes, as well as my fellow contestants, were amazing.
‘However, my experience inside the training room was very different. There have been reports made about the treatment I received on the show and there were witnesses to some events, as well as videos of particular incidents that are incredibly distressing to watch.
“I have struggled with a fear of opening up – I was afraid of the public backlash, I was afraid of my future, I was afraid of being humiliated as a victim. But after many conversations with people I love, I have gained the strength to face these fears, and when I was asked to speak to the BBC, I spoke candidly about my time on the show.
The star wrote on Instagram that while much of her time on Strictly “was everything I could have dreamed of”, there were “distressing incidents” inside the training room with Graziano.
Zara wrote that “my experience inside the training room was very different. There have been reports about my treatment on the show and there were witnesses to some of the incidents.”
‘The culture of our society makes it difficult for people to express themselves, especially in a world where opinions and voices on social media are so loud. This is something I have seen from working with countless women on my documentaries.
“I would like to thank the BBC and BBC Studios for their quick response and incredible level of support, as well as everyone who has reached out to me. It means the world to me. Love always. Zara.”
Sources close to the show have also revealed that Graziano is already packing up his life in the UK and plans to start anew in Italy alongside his wife Giada, a fellow dancer who stars on the Italian version of Strictly.
A source explained how the dancer, who plans to sue the BBC following his sacking, has gone into hiding, saying: “Graziano is petrified and in a bad place.”
“His wife Giada is supportive and they are planning to pack their bags and return to Italy. This has ended his career and he knows it,” the source said. Sun.
‘Returning to Italy to start over is the best thing for him and Giada.’
