Strictly Staff Ordered Not to Report Graziano Di Prima Kicking Partner Zara McDermott During Rehearsal or Face Job Loss

Investigations are ongoing as more celebrities come forward about their experiences on the BBC show

THOSE working on scandal-hit Strictly Come Dancing fear they could lose their job for not coming forward about alleged abusive behaviour they witnessed.

It’s after “nobody told bosses” about Graziano Di Prima’s kicking his dance partner Zara McDermott in rehearsals.

Strictly dancer Graziano Di Prima was sacked for 'kicking' Zara McDermott in training

4

Strictly dancer Graziano Di Prima was sacked for ‘kicking’ Zara McDermott in trainingCredit: PA

The Italian dancer was sacked for gross misconduct
4

The Italian dancer was sacked for gross misconductCredit: tiktok/@graziauk
He was fired for gross misconduct when the claims emerged in the inquiry into fellow pro Giovanni Pernice.

Graziano has since admitted kicking Zara during rehearsals and is now working on a farm in Italy for £6 an hour.

Investigations continue as more celebrities come forward with complaints.

It has sparked concern behind the scenes as staff worry those who didn’t flag concerning incidents will be under fire.

A source told The Sun: “Everyone worries that if incidents they have witnessed, but not reported, get bought up, they’ll be in the firing line.”

After being approached for comment, a BBC spokesman said: “We will not be commenting on individuals or engaging in speculation.

“However, as we have said previously we will always listen if people want to make us aware of something or raise it with us directly and we have appropriate procedures and processes in place to manage this.”

Strictly professional dancers arrived to start training for the new series yesterday.

However, BBC chiefs consider a cull of long-serving dancers after alleged abusive behaviour on the show.

Up to five professionals could face the axe next year in the wake of the scandal surrounding Giovanni and Graziano.

Director General of the BBC, Tim Davie, today apologised over the alleged abusive behaviour on the show.

Davie continued: “It is vital that we have the right protocols and structures in place for the show.

“We keep these under review and as you know we confirmed changes to these last week.

“It is essential these are right for everyone. Of course, alongside the fun and entertainment there will be a degree of competitiveness, hard work and a will to do well.

“That’s part of what makes this show – but there are limits and the line should never be crossed.

“We will never tolerate unacceptable behaviour of any kind.”

Drastic measures to safeguard contestants were announced last week after executives rushed to toughen up the show’s duty of care rules.

Pushed on why stricter protocols weren’t implemented sooner, Davie replied: “I think that is something we do reflect on and I’m sorry about that.

“I think that there are clearly learnings regarding oversights in the training rooms that we have needed to address.”

“With the benefit of hindsight, you always look at these things and think we could have done more, of course you could, but the key thing here is you address the situation.

“The measures we’ve taken, I believe, are an appropriate and fair response to what we know now in terms of making sure that the training rooms we have the right oversight and that people have a positive experience coming through the show.”

Tim Davie broke his silence on scandal-hit Strictly Come Dancing

4

Tim Davie broke his silence on scandal-hit Strictly Come DancingCredit: Alamy

Fellow pro Giovanni Pernice was suspended after a complaint from dance partner Amanda Abbington

4

Fellow pro Giovanni Pernice was suspended after a complaint from dance partner Amanda AbbingtonCredit: PA

Follow us to see more useful information, as well as to give us more motivation to update more useful information for you.
Source: Los Angeles Times (edited)

Related Posts

Featured Image

HOT: Harry managed to “earn William’s forgiveness” when he unexpectedly “did this” during his visit to the Royal Palace: “I knew this would help…”

After five long years of separation, tensions, and public scrutiny, Prince Harry has returned to England, and his arrival marks a dramatic and emotional turning point in…

Featured Image

Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez are facing a serious financial loss of up to eight figures as they try to sell their love nest.

Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck, the high-profile couple known for their passionate romance and tumultuous history, are currently navigating a challenging situation regarding the sale of their…

Featured Image

Without the royal family’s support, Harry’s 40th birthday might be more subdued than ever as he made a surprising statement: “I never thought things would turn out this way…”

This week in royal news has been marked by significant updates and developments involving some of the most prominent figures of the British royal family, including Kate…

Featured Image

Diddy was unexpectedly defended by Kalenna Harper in the Dawn Richard lawsuit. How much did he have to pay for her support???

The recent legal developments involving Diddy and his former partner Cassie have taken a dramatic turn with a new lawsuit alleging abuse. This new legal action has…

Featured Image

Princess Kate has shown signs of being “uncomfortable” when BBC continually asks her to discuss her treatment methods: “This is not the time to talk about this…”

The Princess of Wales shared an update on Instagram this week regarding her cancer treatment. Princess Kate recently shared a video about her ongoing cancer treatment (Image: Will…

Featured Image

It seems that fans and Taylor Swift might part ways as her fanbase recently announced they will no longer support her after her comments about Kamala Harris. Will Taylor change her mind?

Taylor Swift’s influence among her fanbase, particularly Generation Z, has been a topic of much discussion and speculation. Known for her impactful presence in the music industry…

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

error: Content is protected !!