What Graziano Di Prima’s Strictly partners have said as Kym Marsh speaks out (original) (raw)
Graziano Di Prima has been sacked from Strictly over allegations about his conduct, so what have his previous partners said about him and their rehearsals?
Kym Marsh, who was previously paired with Di Prima on Strictly, has now spoken out about her Strictly experience following the allegations.
Di Prima has left Strictly after allegations about his conduct towards his 2023 celebrity partner Zara McDermott. The dancer was dropped 48 hours after video evidence was presented to BBC bosses, according to reports. Di Prima said in a statement: "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."
In a new interview, the professional dancer said he was "not a monster". He told The Daily Mail: "I wasn't meaning to kick her. I'd never, never do that."
It was reported that McDermott didn't make the complaint herself and she was invited by the BBC for an interview. The Love Island star broke her silence on the allegations, saying: "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."
We take a look at what his previous partnerships, what they have said about him and their rehearsals while they were competing on the BBC show...
Kym Marsh and Graziano Di Prima on Strictly Come Dancing in 2022. (BBC)
Marsh was partnered with Di Prima on the 2022 series of Strictly Come Dancing. The actor was the 10th star to be eliminated from the BBC show. This is the closest Di Prima has got to winning the Glitterball trophy on the main show, although he did win with singer Anne-Marie during the Strictly Christmas special in 2021.
The mum and TV star has been candid about her experiences on Strictly. In a new interview, she shared her support for Di Prima, saying she was surprised to hear about the allegations.
She told The Sun: "I’m reluctant to talk too much about someone else’s experience. I had one of the best times of my life doing that show and it was amazing. I didn’t have any experiences like we’ve heard. It definitely, definitely did not represent what I had experienced, no."
In November 2022, Marsh said she considered quitting after suffering panic attacks in rehearsals. The TV star said her anxiety left her frozen with fear and unable to perform.
Despite being an actor, she said she isn't always "confident" and has suffered with panic attacks in the past. At the time, she told The Sun: "It just came over me, almost out of nowhere, and I couldn’t carry on."
Back then, Marsh credited her dance partner Di Prima and fellow competitor Hamza Yassin, who went onto win the series, for helping her. Having developed a bond off the dance floor, Marsh would invite Di Prima over for dinner once a week too.
Kym Marsh and Graziano Di Prima came sixth on Strictly. (BBC)
She told the newspaper: "Everyone was great in the crew and the production, Hamza was especially kind. He just calmed me down and tried to remind me ‘We’re only dancing’, and it was Graziano who really pulled me through.
"He’s just the most incredible man and we’ve got really close, even though he had no idea who I was beforehand. Now he comes over to our house once a week for dinner."
Marsh said Di Prima had become like a "little brother" to her while they were competing on Strictly. She Hello! magazine: "He’s very quickly become like a little brother to me. Graziano is from a big family himself and is very family-orientated so it was important for us to build a friendship and I wanted to integrate him into the family. He’s fit in really well. Everyone loves him."
After her exit on It Takes Two, Marsh revealed the special bond she shared with Di Prima. She said: "I have genuinely met a very unique person, you are a very special man, and I will never never forget what you've done for me on this journey. You're incredible."
Read more: Strictly
- Strictly Come Dancing's future as BBC show in crisis
- What we know as Zara McDermott speaks out after Graziano Di Prima's Strictly sacking
- Zara McDermott's Strictly journey amid Graziano Di Prima allegations
Judi Love
Judi Love and Graziano Di Prima on the 2021 series of Strictly Come Dancing. (BBC)
Judi Love waltzed onto the dancefloor with Di Prima for the 2021 series of the BBC show. They were the fifth couple to be booted off the BBC show but they stayed in touch after competing on the programme.
Reflecting on the spin off show It Takes Two at the time, Loose Women panellist said she felt proud of her Strictly experience. She said: "There's a sense of accomplishment when taking part in Strictlyand I just look at Graziano and I’m so appreciative of what he’s done and what we’ve done together."
Back when she was competing on the show, Love said she broke down in tears after managing to achieve the dance moves in what had been a "really challenging" week of rehearsals.
She wrote for OK! magazine in 2021: "This week is Movie Week and I'm doing the Charleston. There are a few bits I found really challenging and I had to keep reminding myself to be light on my toes. You think because you’ve done a bit of dancing you should know what you’re doing a little bit, but no I was learning from scratch again!
"I cried during rehearsals as I was in complete shock that I’d managed to do the whole thing! So far a lot of my dances have been about strong, flamboyant women, so I’m looking forward to doing some softer characters."
Outside of the Strictly bubble, the Loose Women star became friends with Di Prima and she was even invited to his wedding to his wife Giada Lini in Italy in 2022. She was gutted she couldn't go because she come down with Covid. She told OK! magazine of their friendship at the time: "It’s been beautiful to know both Graz and Giada this last year, they both bring such joy to everyone around them."
Vick Hope
Graziano Di Prima and Vick Hope on Strictly. (BBC)
Di Prima made his debut on the show as a professional dancer in 2018 when he was partnered with Vick Hope. There had been some controversy over their exit with Hope claiming Shirley Ballas "relished" in giving her criticism. Di Prima said he didn't agree with Hope's comments in an interview with The Sun. He said at the time: "I don't really agree with that. Shirley is an amazing teacher and a professional teacher. So if she said that it's because it's true."
However, Hope had praise for Di Prima saying he was kind and patient with her. The radio presenter, who has since married Calvin Harris, wrote on social media platform X at the time. She wrote: "Graz, bello, so much love to you. Thank you for being so hard-working, kind and patient. You’re such a special guy and an amazing dancer, it’s been a pleasure to dance with you and, more importantly, get to know you. Ciao per ora amica mia, grazie!"
Hope also said that Di Prima had been working her "really hard" during rehearsals. She told Strictly's official podcast in 2018: "He's just the sweetest, kindest guy. He's been working me really hard. It's been really fun. We've just had a really nice time, haven't we? It's good. We get on really well. I've been so lucky to be matched with a partner that has the same energy levels as me. We want to work in the same sort of way and exert ourselves to the same level."