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Strictly professional Graziano Di Prima has spoken out for the primary time since Zara McDermott’s “false” allegations in opposition to him, which he says have “ruined” his life.
The Italian dancer was dropped from Strictly Come Dancing final month after an investigation into the present was launched attributable to Amanda Abbigton’s complaints about Giovanni Pernice.
Di Prima was swiftly axed from the sequence after it was alleged that footage confirmed him kicking McDermott within the rehearsal room throughout final yr’s sequence. The footage has not been made public, and the circumstances surrounding it are unknown.
He has now mentioned the claims are “vile” and “false”, and mentioned that he doesn’t know the place they stemmed from.
“You’ll be able to’t think about what number of instances my thoughts has been going again and ahead attempting to think about one thing that occurred all these months in the past that I can’t work out,” he mentioned in his first full interview for the reason that scandal.
He informed MailOnline: “The one factor I can consider is the time I kicked the ground in frustration. We’d practised hour after hour to good a routine with lifts. It wasn’t straightforward however that’s the strain of the present. I used to be in ache from lifting her so many instances however needed to get it proper. I assumed I may save her [from elimination].
“I wasn’t which means to kick her. I’d by no means, by no means do this. My foot brushed her after I kicked the ground. Afterwards I hugged her and mentioned I used to be sorry. There was no downside. We carried on.”
He added: “I’m not a monster. I’m not an abusive man.”
Di Prima, who mentioned he has had “ugly ideas” since being dropped from the sequence, revealed he was much more blindsided by the event attributable to his friendship with McDermott for the reason that present ended.
The outlet states that McDermott – in a bunch chat with Di Prima and his spouse, Giada – despatched a video of a cat on 9 July. It was 20 minutes after the final message within the trade that Di Prima learnt he was being let go by Strictly producers.
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“These vile, false allegations ruined my life in a matter of minutes – professionally, financially, psychologically and reputationally,” he mentioned.
McDermott mentioned in an announcement shortly after that she “wrestled with the concern of opening up” and admitted she had been afraid of “public backlash” and “victim-shaming”.
She wrote: “A lot of my Strictly expertise was every part I may have dreamed of. The complete manufacturing crew and everybody behind the scenes in addition to my fellow contestants have been so wonderful to work with.
“Nonetheless, my expertise contained in the coaching room was very totally different. Reviews have been made about my therapy on the present and there have been witnesses to some occasions, in addition to movies of specific incidents, that are extremely distressing to look at.
“However after plenty of conversations with these I really like, I’ve gained the energy to face these fears,” she mentioned.
The Impartial has contacted McDermott for remark.
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