Sam Thompson steps out for brunch with brother-in-law Ryan Libbey after BBC bosses sack Graziano Di Prima for ‘punching and kicking’ Zara McDermott on Strictly Come Dancing
Sam Thompson was joined by his brother-in-law on Sunday after the former Strictly Come Dancing pro was accused of ‘punching and kicking’ his girlfriend during her performance on the show.
The Made In Chelsea star hit the road with personal trainer Ryan Libbey, the husband of his older sister Louise, as BBC bosses dealt with another behind-the-scenes controversy on their flagship programme.
Italian ballroom specialist Graziano Di Prima has been fired from the long-running Saturday night show amid allegations of physical abuse during his partnership with TV personality Zara McDermott in 2023.
The former Love Island contestant and Thompson’s five-year relationship has also come under scrutiny in recent weeks, with the pair – who have not been seen together since early July despite sharing a home – said to be having ‘crisis talks’.
When Thompson, 31, returned home on Sunday, he checked his phone as he went to brunch with Libbey, a former Made In Chelsea co-star.
Sam Thompson was joined by brother-in-law Ryan Libbey on Sunday after a Strictly pro was accused of ‘punching and kicking’ his girlfriend during her time on the show
The Made In Chelsea star stepped out with Libbey, the husband of his older sister Louise, as BBC bosses dealt with another behind-the-scenes controversy on their flagship programme.
The Mail on Sunday exclusively revealed that McDermott, who starred alongside Di Prima in last year’s series Strictly, was the victim of repeated physical and verbal abuse behind the scenes of the show on Saturday night.
It is yet another blow to the BBC programme, which is still watched by more than 10 million people, as allegations against fellow Strictly star Giovanni Pernice are still being investigated.
Di Prima’s Instagram post read: ‘My intense passion and determination to win may have affected my training regime.’
The professional dancer joined Strictly in 2018 and paired up with McDermott last year, but they were eliminated in week six.
He was previously paired with presenter Vick Hope, Loose Women star Judi Love and in 2022 he reached the quarter-finals with actor Kym Marsh.
Di Prima’s wife, Italian Giada Lini, who also danced professionally on Strictly, has not yet spoken out about her husband’s early departure.
He continued on Instagram: ‘While I respect the BBC HR process, I recognise that it is only right for the good of the show that I step back. I regret that I was not able to provide a quote for the online news stories and I take the sensitivity of the situation to heart.
“There is more to this story that I cannot discuss at this time, but I am determined to be strong for my family and friends. I wish the Strictly family nothing but success in the future.”
When Thompson turned up on Sunday, he was checking his phone as he went to brunch with Libbey, a former Made In Chelsea colleague
McDermott, pictured with her Strictly Come Dancing partner Graziano Di Prima before they were eliminated during Halloween week
The complaint was filed recently and prompted the BBC to expand its ongoing investigation into claims that Giovanni bullied his partner Amanda Abbington during training.
Sources at the show say Di Prima’s behaviour makes Abbington’s claims that Pernice bruised her toe during rehearsals seem “minimal”.
A source said: ‘It was at that meeting that it all happened.’
A source said: ‘It seems whatever Gio has done has opened a Pandora’s box.
“It’s incredibly brave of Zara to come forward. It’s never easy for a woman, or anyone who has been mistreated, to do something like this.”
The complaint was not filed by McDermott himself, but after a number of Strictly production staff raised Di Prima’s behaviour with their bosses.
The Mail on Sunday exclusively revealed that McDermott, who starred opposite Di Prima in last year’s series Strictly, was the victim of repeated physical and verbal abuse.
A post on Di Prima’s Instagram read: ‘My intense passion and determination to win may have affected my training regime’
Subsequently, BBC executives contacted her management and she was invited for an interview about his behaviour.
McDermott rose to fame through his role in Love Island and has since become a documentary presenter for the BBC.
In 2021, she revealed that revenge porn made her think about suicide after a boy shared naked photos of her at school when she was just 14.
Thompson won ITV’s 2023 I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here!, beating the likes of Tony Bellew and Nigel Farage to claim the title of King of the Jungle.