Graziano admits to kicking Zara McDermott on Strictly and says he made a ‘mistake’

Graziano Di Prima has just admitted to kicking his Strictly dance partner Zara McDermott during rehearsals for the show and says he made a “mistake”.

A spokesperson for the former pro told BBC News: “There is never a time when kicking, or any sense of that is right, and he knows that. He knows he’s made a mistake. He apologised at the time.”

But despite admitting to kicking her, he denies ever spitting at her, as recent reports suggested.

The spokesperson said Graziano did not clearly remember the incident, but did not deny there was a kick and accepted that he had “crossed the line”. BBC News has not seen the video, but understands it does show Graziano kick Zara during a rehearsal.

Graziano has said to have thought the matter had been resolved, but video of the incident is believed to have been brought to the attention of the BBC last week, and the dancer was then removed from this year’s line-up. The footage is said to have brought everyone at Strictly who watched it “to tears”.

In his initial statement, Graziano said: “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. Respecting the BBC HR process, I understand it’s best for the show that I step away.

“While there are aspects of this story involving external influences that I can’t discuss at this time, I remain committed to being strong for my family and friends. I wish the Strictly family and the BBC nothing but success in the future. I also want to thank everyone who has supported my career, both professionally and personally. When the time is right, I will share my story.”

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This weekend the BBC confirmed the pro will not appear in the next series, and released a statement which said: “We can confirm that Graziano Di Prima is no longer a part of the line-up for the upcoming series. While we would never comment on individual cases, it is well-known the BBC has established robust duty of care procedures, and if issues are raised we will always take them seriously and act swiftly as appropriate.”

Related stories recommended by this writer:

• Graziano forced to return to his minimum wage farm job after being sacked from Strictly

• The new Strictly rules the BBC has been forced to introduce after Zara and Graziano claims

• All the celebs who have shown support to Graziano over Zara McDermott Strictly claims