EXCLUSIVE'What Graziano did makes Giovanni look like a pussy cat': Inside the Strictly Come Dancing scandal, Zara McDermott's 'deeply unpleasant' ordeal... and who blew the whistle
- One show source says: ‘There were occasions where he did some terrible things'
- Read the full inside story from sources on the show
Strictly Come Dancing star Graziano Di Prima has been sacked from the show by BBC bosses after he kicked and hit his former partner Zara McDermott.
The Mail on Sunday can reveal that Ms McDermott, who starred alongside the Italian dancer in last year’s series, was victim to repeated physical and verbal abuse ongoing attacks behind the scenes of the Saturday night show.
She was left distraught at his behaviour but didn’t report it to the BBC - instead it was junior production staff who came forward to share what they had witnessed as the investigation into Giovanni Pernice was taking place.
A Strictly source said: ‘Graziano’s abuse was ongoing, he kicked and hit her. There were multiple occasions where both physical and verbal attacks were made. It was more physical than verbal but all of it was dreadful.
‘There were occasions where he did some terrible things, it really was awful. What he did makes Giovanni look like a pussy cat.’
Sicily-born Di Prima’s departure comes just weeks after he was unveiled in the line-up for the new season, Strictly’s 20th anniversary series and will be replaced by Aljaž Škorjanec was has returned to the show two years after he quit in a surprise announcement by the BBC last Monday.
Strictly Come Dancing star Graziano Di Prima has been sacked by BBC bosses after he hit, kicked and verbally abused his former partner Zara McDermott
Ms McDermott, who starred alongside the Italian dancer in last year's series, was victim to ongoing attacks behind the scenes of the Saturday night show
And on Wednesday the Daily Mail revealed that a second complaint had been made to BBC bosses about separate dancer on the show in a move that those high up on the show now fear will ‘severely damage’ its appeal to its millions of fans. One said: ‘It’s on its knees, this is a crisis.’
The scandal began when a junior member of Strictly’s production team saw the show’s much loved professional dancer Di Prima physically attack former Love Island contestant turned documentary maker Ms McDermott and was left horrified.
However, they were too frightened to say anything for fear she could be ousted from her job, so they kept quiet but others had also witnessed his unsavoury behaviour.
So when the BBC opened an investigation into Di Prima’s Strictly co-star Giovanni Pernice following claims by Amanda Abbington that he had bullied her, they knew it was their chance to speak up.
Earlier this month Ms McDermott agreed to attend a meeting with the BBC’s HR bosses and after consultation with the upper echelons of the Corporation, Di Prima was sacked.
The source added: ‘It was horrible for Zara, she had endured some deeply unpleasant times at the hands of Graziano during the series last year. She is still distraught that all of this is happening but good on her for speaking out.
Sherlock actress Amanda Abbington has complained about Giovanni Pernice's behaviour during the last series of the show, which she quit early
Junior production staff came forward to share what they had witnessed happen between Di Prima and Ms McDermott
‘There was no doubting that Graziano had to go. It has been awful for Zara but those around her are very proud of her for doing this. It isn’t always easy to speak up about behaviour like this. Credit should also go to the production staff who saw what was going on and reported it.
‘The BBC also dealt with it swiftly.’
Yesterday a spokesman for Strictly confirmed Di Prima’s departure in statement which 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 BBC has established and robust duty of care procedures, and if issues are raised we will always take them seriously and act swiftly as appropriate.’
Shortly beforehand, Graziano made his own attempt at getting his side across with a post on Instagram where he admitted wrongdoing. In a post which was quickly deleted, he wrote: ‘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.’
Di Prima, who joined Strictly in 2018 and has previously been paired with DJ Vick Hope, Loose Women star Judi Love and IN 2022 he reached the quarter-final with actor Kym Marsh. was eliminated in week six of the 2023 series.
The BBC’s swift action to sack Di Prima begs the question of why they are yet to make a decision over Mr Pernice, who has been the subject of a BBC investigation since May following claims from former Sherlock star Ms Abbington that he bruised her toe.’
Sources close to Mr Pernice say that he fully expects to be exonerated but but there is fury that he has been forced to wait so long. Insiders say also that the widened inquiry will now present Mr Pernice, 33, as possibly being a ‘small fish’ in Strictly’s potential downfall.
One friend of the star said: ‘It is now becoming outrageous that he has to wait so long. The BBC have shown that they can be efficient and take these things and deal with them swiftly but Gio’s experience has been a nightmare.’
He quit the show after nine years following former Sherlock actress Amanda Abbington’s claims that he bullied her in training.
In May it was revealed that she had instructed London law firm Carter Ruck to represent her against the BBC.
A well-informed source said of the investigation: ‘Isn’t it baffling that the BBC can very easily make up its mind, weed out and sack Graziano when there is actual wrongdoing but unsubstantiated claims by Amanda are not so easy to make a decision on.
‘What happened to Zara seriously puts Amanda’s claims into perspective, it all seems very, very miniscule.’
The abuse undoubtedly leaves the future of the Saturday night favourite under threat as it prepares for its 20th anniversary in a matter of weeks.
BBC bosses are in crisis and are fully aware that being able to start the next series and leave the scandals behind them is going to be ‘very difficult, if not impossible,’ says one insider on the show.
‘It’s chaos,’ they added. ‘The future looks bleak, it was such a glittery, lovely, happy show but now there are some dark sides coming out.’
‘There is going to have to be one heck of a good line up on this year’s show to save Strictly.’
Strictly is now expected to come under huge scrutiny as it emerged that they have not been carrying out psychological tests on their celebrity contestants - unlike other shows including its ITV rival Dancing On Ice.
Some stars of the show have already recognised that there have been failures in the BBC’s duty of care towards them.
