Graziano Di Prima says Zara McDermott 'never complained' about BBC Strictly demands in final joint TV appearance
Graziano Di Prima and Zara McDermott were all smiles in their final TV appearance together
BBC
Graziano Di Prima and Zara McDermott shared a tearful farewell to their time on Strictly Come Dancing in their final joint interview on It Takes Two.
The pair bowed out of the BBC competition after seven weeks last year after being voted out by the public.
However, it's since emerged that behind the scenes, complaints about Di Prima's conduct were rumbling, with the 30-year-old Italian dancer having since been axed from the show.
Di Prima has released a statement about his departure, admitting his "intense passion and determination... affected my training regime" while reports have emerged to suggest McDermott was "kicked and hit" in rehearsals.
The BBC's decision to sack Di Prima has resulted in the Italian reportedly planning to take legal action while McDermott has similarly spoken out to describe footage from their time working together as "incredibly distressing" to watch.
The BBC refuses to "comment on individual cases" so details of the exact incident that led to the dismissal remain under wraps, although Di Prima claimed during their final chat together on It Takes Two that the former Love Island star "never complained" while they worked together.
Graziano Di Prima said Zara McDermott "never complained" during their final It Takes Two appearance
BBC
At one point in the interview, which originally aired on October 30, 2023, host Fleur East asked Di Prima "how much of a fighter" McDermott had been throughout the process.
"I've never had a partner that has been working so hard as she did," Di Prima replied. "Every morning was like me coming in at 8am and I'll find already her in the room going through the steps.
"If it was Monday, she would be telling me, 'I've been doing my research, I know the steps'...at lunch break, I would ask her, 'Please, can we have half an hour?' She'd be with a big bottle of water going through the steps!" Di Prima quipped. "She is what Strictly is all about!"
Di Prima went on to praise McDermott's "confidence" as a result of her stint on the show before East grilled him on his "challenging" choreography.
Graziano Di Prima and Zara McDermott spoke with Fleur East during the instalment of It Takes Two
BBC
"So every week, I've done my best, but especially last week... I knew that she could nail the lifts, I knew it," he answered, referring to the Charleston they'd performed the weekend prior.
He continued: "I know that she will try her best for every step. So it was the only point where he had to try and go fast, we had to go for it.
"And she was never like, 'Can we change the steps?' Never! In six weeks, she never asked me, 'Can we change this?' There was a point where you were even thinking like, 'I don't know, my knee here it needs to go high.' She never ever complained, ever."
Later in the interview, Di Prima and McDermott shared a tearful hug as she branded the 30-year-old the most "special (and) beautiful soul" before saying their farewell.
According to reports about Di Prima's alleged "abusive behaviour" and McDermott's statement on his sacking, things were very different off-camera.
McDermott took to social media earlier this week with a statement that read: "So much of my Strictly experience was everything I could have dreamt of. The entire production team and everyone behind the scenes as well as my fellow contestants were so amazing to work with.
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"However, my experience inside the training room was 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.
"I have wrestled with the fear of opening up - I was scared about public backlash, I was scared about my future, I was scared of victim shaming.
"But after a lot of conversation with those I love, I've gained the strength to face these fears, and when I was asked to speak to the BBC, I spoke candidly about my 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. This is something I've seen through working with countless women on my documentaries.
"I would like to thank the BBC & BBC Studios for their swift action and incredibly high level of support, as well as everyone who has reached out to me - it truly means a lot."