Zara McDermott has admitted she was too "scared" to speak out following her experience on Strictly Come Dancing with Graziano Di Prima last year.
The Love Island star, 27, has broken her silence today after it was reported the Italian dancer, 30 behaved inappropriately towards her before he was axed from the BBC series. Following his bombshell exit, Graziano took to Instagram, saying he "deeply regrets the events that led to my departure" adding: "When the time is right, I will share my story."
Zara, who was questioned by the BBC after show bosses were shown a video taken from her training session with Graziano, previously praised the Sicilian when they were eliminated from the series in 2023. However, she's now said she has been "wrestling with the fear of opening up" in a poignant post on Instagram.
Stating the Strictly call was a "dream come true" having wanted to be on the show since she was a "little girl", she explained: "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 conversations 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."
Graziano made a statement on Saturday (July 13) as news of his Strictly exit broke, with the Italian dancer stating that he is 'deeply regretful'. In a heartfelt Instagram post shortly after the news hit the headlines in a national paper, the dancer, who attended the same Team Diablo school - which is named after the devil - with Giovanni Pernice, addressed his fans, saying: "While respecting the BBC HR process, I acknowledge it's only right for the sake of the show that I step away."
He continued: "I am saddened that I wasn't allowed to offer a quote to the online news stories, and I take on board the sensitivity of the situation. There's more to this story that I am unable to discuss at this time, but I am committed to being strong for my family and friends. I wish the Strictly family nothing but success in the future."
The BBC said in a statement: "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."
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