The Strictly Come Dancing skilled dancer fired by the BBC following allegations that he had kicked his superstar accomplice has given his first interview, saying that he by no means assaulted his accomplice, and that the “vile, false allegations had ruined his life in a matter of minutes.”
Graziano Di Prima was fired from the present after claims that he had assaulted tv presenter Zara McDermott throughout rehearsals for final 12 months’s season. The allegations included kicking, hitting and spitting, and Di Prima made a public apology on his departure, saying that his aggressive coaching regime had typically led him to make errors.
This weekend, in an interview with the Day by day Mail newspaper from his native Italy the place he has returned to reside, the dancer says:
- The BBC won’t inform him precisely what he’s accused of, due to their obligations to keep up the confidentiality of different events
- That he as soon as kicked the ground in frustration, and his foot brushed McDermott’s physique. He apologised on the time they usually carried on coaching collectively
- McDermott continued to ship him pleasant messages after their time on the present concluded, up till July of this 12 months. Days after their ultimate trade, he was instructed by the BBC he was being fired.
- Members of the family keep a relentless watch on him, involved that he could do himself bodily hurt following his high-profile firing
Di Prima was a well-liked skilled dancer on the hit BBC present for six years earlier than his abrupt departure. He now says he’s decided to bounce professionally once more, and for this controversy to not outline the remainder of his life.
The BBC’s director-general Tim Davie made a public apology a fortnight in the past after a number of contestants on the long-running present went public with their considerations about their therapy behind the scenes. The BBC has instituted new procedures for the upcoming new season, together with a chaperone being current always throughout rehearsals. Davie mentioned the BBC took all complaints significantly.
The dangerous press for the long-running present (which is offered to greater than 60 territories the world over, together with the US the place it’s referred to as Dancing With the Stars) was ignited by the complaints of one other contestant Amanda Abbington, who mentioned she had been identified with PTSD following her coaching with skilled dancer Giovanni Pernice. Pernice has additionally left the present, however denies all of the allegations made in opposition to him, and a BBC investigation has but to announce its findings.
