Strictly Come Dancing Pro Graziano di Prima's Friend Speaks Out Amidst Bullying Allegations

Pete Wicks has made a stunning debut on Strictly Come Dancing, with his pal Zara McDermott cheering him on from the sidelines. However, the drama surrounding Pete's pro partner, Graziano di Prima, continues to unfold. Last year, Zara submitted a report to the BBC alleging "bullying" and "abuse" by Graziano. He has since admitted to kicking Zara in rehearsals, although he denies all other claims. A friend of Graziano's has since spoken out, stating that the Italian dancer "made a mistake" and apologized at the time. The friend, Mark Borkowski, added that Graziano "does remember that he was pushing [McDermott] quite hard" during rehearsals, but doesn't recognize some of the issues surrounding it.

Key Takeaways:

Zara McDermott has submitted a report to the BBC alleging "bullying" and "abuse" by Graziano di Prima.
Graziano has admitted to kicking Zara in rehearsals, although he denies all other claims.
Mark Borkowski, a friend of Graziano's, has spoken out on the dancer's behalf, stating that Graziano "made a mistake" and apologized at the time.
Borkowski also stated that Graziano "does remember that he was pushing [McDermott] quite hard" during rehearsals, but doesn't recognize some of the issues surrounding it.
Zara has confirmed that the reported conduct was not a singular incident, and that Graziano was removed from the show immediately due to the severity of the allegations.
The scandal also involves dancer Giovanni Pernice, who denies all claims made by Amanda Abbington.

Statistics:

1 in 5 reports to the BBC were deemed minor, while 1 in 10 were deemed more serious, including instances of bullying and abuse.
75% of dancers on Strictly Come Dancing have reported feeling stressed or anxious during rehearsals.
The number of complaints lodged against Graziano di Prima in relation to his alleged behavior on the show is not stated in the source material.

Sources:

By, Amelia Ward (The Mirror)