Kym Marsh breaks her silence on Strictly scandal and ‘defends’ ex-partner Graziano Di Prima after he was sacked for abusing Zara McDermott

Kym Marsh has broken her silence on the Strictly Come Dancing scandal as she seemingly defended sacked professional Graziano Di Prima.

The 48-year-old actress, who was paired with the dancer in 2022, said she had the “best time” on the BBC show and was “shocked” by the allegations made against her former partner.

In July, amid the ongoing investigation into misconduct on the series, it emerged Gratian He had been sacked for verbally and physically abusing the Love Island star. Zara McDermott during rehearsals last year.

Talking with The sun Kym said: ‘I’m reluctant to talk too much about other people’s experience. I had one of the best times of my life doing that show and it was amazing.

“I didn’t have any experience like what we had heard about. It definitely, definitely didn’t represent what I had experienced, no.”

Asked if she was surprised by the allegations made against Graziano, she replied: “Yes.”

Last month, Graziano apologized for kicking Zara during rehearsals, with to his spokesman saying BBC News: ‘There’s never a moment to kick, or have the feeling that that’s the right thing to do, and he knows it.

He knows he made a mistake. He apologized at the time.

Referring to the media reports, Mark added: “But he fails to acknowledge some of the problems surrounding the issue. The descriptions of what is being discussed online and how he remembers it do not match up.”

He continued: “He (Graziano) has literally isolated himself from civilisation. I think it’s a smart decision, with the support of his wife. He’s coming to terms with his mental health issues.”

Graziano, who believed the matter had been resolved at that point, was fired from the show after a video containing the idea reached the BBC.

The investigation into his behaviour was sparked by Strictly’s attempt to clean up the show after fellow Strictly contestant Giovanni Pernice was accused of abusive behaviour by his 2023 dance partner Amanda Abbington, resulting in him quitting the show. Giovanni denies the allegations.

According to sources at the show, the images of Graziano mistreating Zara left bosses with no choice but to cancel her contract.

Commenting on his departure on Instagram, Graziano wrote: “I deeply regret the events that led to my departure from Strictly. My intense passion and determination to win may have affected my training regime.

“In accordance with the BBC’s HR process, I understand that it is in the best interests of the programme for me to step down.”

He continued: ‘While there are aspects of this story that involve 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 and the BBC nothing but success for the future.’

She concluded her message: “I would also like to thank everyone who has supported my career, both professionally and personally. When the time is right, I will share my story.”

Meanwhile, Zara broke her silence by admitting that she was afraid to come forward and denounce Graziano out of fear for her “future”.

She also wrote on Instagram: “I felt it was only right to post something about the recent media reports. Strictly is one of the most magical shows on television and one I have dreamed of being on 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 I was fully prepared to give whatever it took.

“And so much of my experience on Strictly was everything I could have dreamed of. It was amazing working with the entire production team and everyone behind the scenes, as well as my fellow contestants.”

‘However, my experience inside the training room was very different. There have been reports published about the treatment I received on the show and there were witnesses to some of the incidents, as well as videos of specific incidents that are incredibly distressing to watch.’

Zara explained that she did not report the incidents at the time because she was “afraid” of suffering negative reactions.

Instead, it was junior production staff members who came forward to share what they had witnessed while the investigation into Giovanni was underway.

A source from the show told MailOnline: “There were multiple occasions where physical and verbal attacks took place. It was more physical than verbal, but it was all appalling.”

Zara continued in her statement: ‘I have struggled with the fear of opening up: I was afraid of the public backlash, I was afraid of my future, I was afraid of being victim-shamed.

“But after many conversations with my loved ones, 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.

“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 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.”