How Graziano Di Prima and wife Giada Lini had a friendship with Zara McDermott and were thinking about starting a family before misconduct probe

Graziano Di Prima has been sacked from Strictly Come Dancing after an investigation found he ‘punched and kicked’ his former celebrity partner Zara McDermott.

But just two weeks before his resignation, Graziano spoke highly of the friendship between his wife Giada Lini and Zara.

When Giada was asked in an interview with OK! magazine how the couple dealt with the Strictly ‘curse’, she said that cheating can happen anywhere, but the most important thing is to trust your partner.

Graziano said the couple had socialized with Zara outside the training studio: “We always take our dance partners out to dinner and get to know each other better.”

The dancer had also said in the interview that he and Giada were thinking about starting a family – just weeks before he was fired and “fled the UK to Italy to start a new life.”

Graziano said the couple had socialized with Zara outside the training studio: ‘We always bring our dance partners and go out to dinner together to get to know each other better’

On having children, Graziano said, “We’re both dancers and I always tell my wife that she’ll always be there for her when she feels ready.”

Graziano married Giada in a lavish ceremony in Sicily in 2022, seven years after they started dating.

MailOnline revealed that Strictly production staff raised concerns about Graziano’s behaviour last year, but bosses only went as far as silently warning him.

The group expected him to be fired immediately. They were said to be furious that their complaints were ignored, meaning the abuse towards Zara was allowed to continue. Graziano was even signed for the upcoming 2024 series of Strictly.

A source from the show said: ‘There were multiple occasions where there was both physical and verbal abuse. It was more physical than verbal, but it was all horrible.’

It was only when staff obtained video allegedly showing Graziano repeatedly hitting Zara – nine months after their first 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 “a lot” of her Strictly experience was “everything I could have imagined”, her “experience in the training room was very different.”

Graziano married Giada in a lavish ceremony in Sicily in 2022, seven years after they got together

MailOnline revealed that Strictly production staff raised concerns about Graziano’s behaviour last year, but bosses went no further than giving him silent warnings

Zara has since broken her silence after Graziano was fired from Strictly amid reports he verbally and physically abused her

“I thought it would be good to post something about the recent media reports,” Zara began.

‘Strictly is one of the most magical shows on TV. I’ve dreamed of being on it since I was a little girl.’

‘When I was invited to join the show, it was truly a childhood dream come true. I fully understood how much dedication and hard work Strictly would take and I dedicated myself to it. I am a resilient person and I was fully prepared to do whatever it took.’

‘And so much of my Strictly experience was everything I could ever have dreamed of. The whole production team and everyone behind the scenes, and my fellow contestants too, were so amazing to work with.

‘My experience in the training room, however, was very different. There are accounts of my treatment on the show and there were witnesses to some of the events, as well as videos of certain incidents that are incredibly painful to watch.

‘I’ve struggled with the fear of opening up – I was afraid of public backlash, I was afraid of my future, I was afraid of victim shaming. But after many conversations with people I love, I was given the strength to face these fears, and when I was asked to speak for 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 imagined’ in the training room with Graziano, there were ‘disturbing incidents’

Zara wrote that ‘my experience in the training room was very different. There were reports made about my treatment on the show and there were witnesses to some of the events’

‘The culture within our society makes it difficult for people to speak out, especially in a world where opinions and voices are so loud on social media. This is something I have seen through working with countless women on my documentaries.

‘I would like to thank the BBC and BBC Studios for their swift action and incredibly high level of support, and also everyone who has contacted me – it really means a lot. Love, always. Zara.’

Insiders also revealed that Graziano has already packed up his life in the UK and is planning to start over in Italy with his wife Giada, a fellow dancer who stars on the Italian version of Strictly.

A source explained that the dancer, who plans to sue the BBC after his dismissal, has gone into hiding, saying that “Graziano is terrified and in a bad situation.”

“He’s being supported by his wife Giada and they’re planning to pack up and move back to Italy. This has ruined his career and he knows it,” the insider said. The sun.

“Going back to Italy to start over is the best thing for him and Giada.”