TV Star Zara McDermott Opens Up About Distressing Incidents in Strictly Come Dancing Training Room

 TV star Zara McDermott has revealed she was involved in distressing incidents during her time in the Strictly Come Dancing training room, following the news that her dance partner, Graziano Di Prima, has left the show.

TV Star Zara McDermott Opens Up About Distressing Incidents in Strictly Come Dancing Training Room

TV star Zara McDermott has revealed she was involved in distressing incidents during her time in the Strictly Come Dancing training room, following the news that her dance partner, Graziano Di Prima, has left the show.

On Saturday, the source confirmed that Di Prima would "no longer be a part of the line-up of professional dancers for the upcoming series." Di Prima expressed his deep regret for the events leading to his departure, acknowledging that his "intense passion and determination to win might have affected my training regime."

Former Love Island star and documentary maker McDermott posted her own statement, saying she had "wrestled with the fear of opening up" about her experiences. "I was scared about public backlash, I was scared about my future, I was scared of victim shaming," she shared. However, she recently "gained the strength to face these fears" and spoke to source managers about her experiences.

"I felt it was right that I post something regarding the recent media reports," McDermott wrote on her Instagram stories on Tuesday. She explained that she "fully understood the level of commitment and hard work that Strictly was going to be" and was prepared to dedicate everything to it.

While much of her Strictly experience was positive, McDermott described her time in the training room as very different. "Reports have been made about my treatment on the show, and there were witnesses to some events, as well as videos of particular incidents which are incredibly distressing to watch," she said.

McDermott appeared with Di Prima on last year's series of the show. She expressed gratitude for the support she received from the source and her loved ones, which helped her speak candidly about her time on the show. "The culture within our society makes it difficult for people to speak up, especially in a world where social media opinions and voices are so loud," McDermott noted, drawing on her experience working with countless women in her documentaries.

In his statement on Saturday, Di Prima said, "I deeply regret the events that led to my departure from Strictly. My intense passion and determination to win might have affected my training regime. Respecting the source HR process, I understand it's best for the show that I step away." Di Prima also mentioned that while there are aspects of the story involving external influences that he couldn't discuss at this time, he remains committed to being strong for his family and friends.

A source stated that no complaints were made against Di Prima during last year’s series of Strictly. They mentioned that a producer who attended a rehearsal had asked Di Prima to be more considerate with his training, and the matter was resolved at the time to everyone’s satisfaction. The source is considering placing members of the production team in rehearsal rooms to act as chaperones in the future.

A source spokesperson said, "We can confirm that Graziano Di Prima is no longer
a part of the line-up of professional dancers for the upcoming series of Strictly Come Dancing. While we would never comment on individual cases, it is well-known that the source has established robust duty of care procedures, and if issues are raised, we will always take them seriously and act swiftly as appropriate."

Di Prima's departure follows that of another professional dancer, Giovanni Pernice, who left the show amid reports about his teaching methods. Pernice has denied any allegations of abusive or threatening behavior.

McDermott thanked the source & source Studios for their swift action and high level of support, and expressed gratitude to everyone who reached out to her, saying it meant a lot.

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