Strictly professional dancer Graziano Di Prima has been sacked by the BBC following allegations of serious misconduct against his former partner Zara McDermott.
The Mail on Sunday can reveal that bosses of the Saturday night dance show have been in contact with the Italian star this week and his contract has been terminated.
A deleted post on Graziano’s Instagram read: “My intense passion and determination to win may have affected my training regime.”
A source from the show said: ‘Graziano had to go. It was awful.’
His departure came at the same time that Strictly announced that their beloved pro Aljaž Škorjanec was returning to the show two years after his departure.
Graziano joined Strictly in 2018 and paired up with Love Island star Zara last year, but they were eliminated in week six.
Zara McDermott, 26, pictured with her Strictly partner Graziano Di Prima, 29, before they were eliminated during Halloween week
Zara McDermott stuns in a lilac jumpsuit with her Strictly partner Graziano Di Prima
Love Island’s Zara McDermott spotted with her Strictly partner Graziano Di Prima in 2023
Graziano Di Prima kisses his wife Giada Lini, an Italian dancer
A message apparently posted to Graziano’s Instagram, and promptly deleted, read: “I deeply regret the events leading up to my departure from Strictly. My intense passion and determination to win may have affected my training regime.
‘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 offer 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.’
Graziano married his long-term partner Giada on the island of Sicily, his birthplace.
Professional dancer Giada, originally from Venice, stars on Dancing With The Stars in Italy. The couple have previously admitted that it is ‘difficult’ to spend time apart due to their conflicting schedules.
But Italian hunk Graziano says they want to wait ‘a few years’ before starting a family.
Graziano joined the cast of professional dancers on Strictly in 2018.
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.
Graziano’s sacking has sparked further unrest at Strictly, seen as the broadcaster’s crown jewel and still watched by more than ten million people.
The complaint was filed recently and prompted the BBC to expand its ongoing investigation into claims that Giovanni Pernice bullied his partner Amanda Abbington during training.
Sources inside the show say Graziano’s behavior makes Amanda’s claims that Giovanni bruised her toe during rehearsals seem “minimal.”
The complaint was not filed by Zara itself, but after a number of Strictly production staff raised Graziano’s behaviour with their bosses.
Subsequently, BBC executives contacted her management and she was invited for an interview about his behaviour.
A source said: ‘It was at that meeting that it all happened.’
One of them said, “It seems like whatever Gio did, it opened a can of worms.
“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.”
Zara McDermott (right) and Graziano Di Prime dance in matching white costumes during a dress rehearsal for the BBC show
Graziano Di Prima (left) dances with former Strictly partner Loose Women star Judi Love (right) in 2021
Di Prima (left) reached the quarter-finals of the dance show in 2022 with actor Kym Marsh (right)
Zara rose to fame through her 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.
Her boyfriend, Sam Thompson, won ITV’s I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here in 2023, beating the likes of Tony Bellew and Nigel Farage to claim the title of King of the Jungle.
However, sources claim the couple have recently been in “crisis talks.”
Graziano, born in Sicily, was named in the list of professionals announced by the BBC last month.
He was also set to be linked to a celebrity until he was approached by Strictly bosses who wanted to question him about his behaviour towards Zara.
It also explains why the BBC quietly brought Aljaz back to the show. Some within the BBC have questioned why he wasn’t unveiled with the other professionals – particularly as the Beeb kept fans waiting for weeks after Mr Pernice’s departure before publishing the final list.
Insiders also noted that the press had not been informed. Instead, the announcement was made on the BBC’s own magazine programme, The One Show, on Monday night.
A source said: ‘Normally the BBC alerts the media when something like this happens, but this time the first anyone knew about it was a conversation with Aljaž on The One Show and then it was quietly broadcast in the BBC press centre at 7.30pm that same day.
Amanda Abbington and Giovanni Pernice during a Strictly Come Dancing live show in 2023
Presenter Laura Whitmore and dancer and choreographer Giovanni Pernice
Beloved pro Aljaž Škorjanec (pictured) has returned to the show two years after his departure
‘That meant the announcement was consistent with the story the BBC wanted to tell. No questions were asked about why it was being revealed now.’
Sources close to Giovanni now say he hopes the investigation into him will be accelerated and that he will get a result soon so he can move on with his life.
A BBC spokesperson confirmed that Graziano had been dismissed, saying: ‘We can confirm that Graziano Di Prima will no longer be part of the line-up of professional dancers for the upcoming series of Strictly Come Dancing. While we will never comment on individual cases, the BBC is known to have robust duty of care procedures in place and if issues are raised we will always take them seriously and act promptly as required.’