Zara McDermott was left with ‘horror injuries’ after intense Strictly Come Dancing training last year with Graziano Di Prima.

The former Love Island star, 27, broke her silence on Instagram on Tuesday after her pro dancer Graziano, 30, was fired by the BBC following accusations he hit, spat and kicked her during rehearsals.

Months after the show, the documentary maker revealed that she only has three toenails after losing them during the competition.

While training for Strictly, Zara shared a photo of her nasty foot wounds including one on her big toe, she wrote: ‘Half my toe has come off tbh.’

During an interview last year, Zara revealed the reason behind her agonising injury, that left her feet ‘bleeding’ was her gruelling training sessions.

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Zara McDermott was left with ‘horror injuries’ after intense Strictly Come Dancing training last year with Graziano Di Prima

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The Love Island star, 27, broke her silence on Instagram on Tuesday after pro dancer Graziano, 30, was fired by the BBC following accusations he hit, spat and kicked her during rehearsals

She said at the time it was a tough ride during rehearsals when Graziano made her wear ‘men’s shoes’ which left her feet sore and cut.

Speaking at the Who Cares Wins awards, Zara said: ‘Graziano told me not to go for the heels but to dance in men’s shoes at the start.

‘I told him, ‘It’s not working, I need to take them off’ and he said, ‘No, no you’re fine’.

‘I said honestly it’s hurting and I took them off and my feet were bleeding. I was like, ‘I told you I am not being dramatic!’

Zara has been open about her injuries and has more recently been wearing a Aircast Boot after having a stress fracture in her tibia.

In March, the bombshell shared a health update on Instagram ahead of a hospital visit, she penned: ‘This evening I’m heading to the hospital because while I was away I got some news from my Dr about my tibia fracture.

‘The good news is that there is some small evidence of healing! Yay!

‘However he said he can see that the bone surrounding the fracture is under a lot of tension/pressure… whatever that means?

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Months after the show, the documentary maker revealed that she only has three toenails after losing them during the competition

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During an interview last year, Zara revealed the reason behind her agonising injury, that left her feet ‘bleeding’, was due to partner Graziano’s training

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She said at the time it was a tough ride during rehearsals when Graziano made her wear ‘men’s shoes’ which left her feet sore and cut

‘Surgery is still an option but I’ve opted for the most natural route which is to try and help it heal on its own…’

In another post, Zara explained her injury further and asked followers for advice.

She penned: ‘So I have quite a significant stress fracture in my tibia that isn’t healing. It stretches pretty much the entire width of my bone.

‘The professor who operated on me back in December has advised that I am likely to need further surgery where they put metal screws and plates above and below the fractured area to fuse it together.

‘Has anyone had this, how long were you off your feet for? How bad was it? I have lots of questions!’

Zara went on: ‘I’m just weighing up whether to crack on and go ahead with the surgery or wait and hope that it starts to heal on its own.

‘If it doesn’t, then I will need to have surgery in 3-6 months anyway.

It comes hours after Zara broken her silence after Graziano was sacked over reports he ‘hit and kicked’ her.

The ITV2 star said that while much of her time on Strictly ‘was everything I could have dreamt of’ inside the training room with Graziano there were ‘particular incidents which are incredibly distressing’.

‘I felt it was right that I post something regarding the recent media reports,’ Zara begain. ‘Strictly is one of the most magical shows on TV and one that I dreamt of being on since I was a little girl.’

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Zara has been open about her injuries and has more recently been wearing a Aircast Boot after having a stress fracture in her tibia (pictured with her brother and mum)

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The star asked fans for advice as she might need surgery following the fracture

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It comes hours after Zara broke her silence after Graziano was sacked from Strictly Come Dancing over reports he verbally and physically abused her

‘When I was invited to be a contestant on the show it really was a childhood dream come true. I fully understood the level of commitment and hard work that Strictly was going to be and I dedicated everything to it.’

‘I am a resilient person and I was fully prepared to put in whatever it took.’ 

‘And so much of my Strictly experience was everything I could have dreamt of. The entire production team and everyone behind the scenes as well as my fellow contestants were so amazing to worth with.

‘However, my experience inside the training room was very different. Reports have been made about my treatment on the show and there were witnesses to some events, as well as videos of particular incidents which are incredible distressing to watch.

Zara explained that she didn’t report the incidents at the time as she was ‘scared’ of backlash.

Instead it was junior production staff who came forward to share what they had witnessed as the investigation into pro dancer Giovanni Pernice was taking place.

‘I have wrested with the fear of opening up – I was scared about public backlash, I was scared about my future, I was scared of victim shaming,’ Zara wrote on Instagram.

‘But after a lot of conversations with those I love, I’ve gained the strength to face these fears, and when I was asked to speak to the BBC, I spoke candidly about my time on the show.

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. But after a lot of conversations with those I love, I’ve gained the strength to face these fears, and when I was asked to speak to the BBC, I spoke candidly about my time on the show.

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Graziano, who was due to compete in his seventh series of Strictly before his sacking, is taking legal action against the BBC , MailOnline revealed on Monday

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Insiders have now revealed that Graziano is packing up his life and plans to start again in Italy alongside his wife Giada, a fellow dancer who stars on the Italian version of Strictly

 

‘The culture within our society makes it difficult for people to speak up especially in a a world where social media opinions and voices are so loud. This is something I’ve seen through working with countless women on my documentaries.

‘I would like to thank the BBC and BBC Studios for their swift action and incredibly high level of support, as wel as everyone who has reached out to me – it really truly meas a lot. Love, always. Zara.’

Insiders have now revealed that Graziano is already packing up his life in the UK and plans to start again in Italy alongside his wife Giada, a fellow dancer who stars on the Italian version of Strictly.

A source explained how the dancer, who is planning to sue the BBC following his sacking, has gone into hiding, claiming: ‘Graziano is petrified and in a bad place’.

‘He is being supported by his wife Giada and they are planning to pack up and move back to Italy. This has killed his career dead and he knows it,’ the insider told The Sun.

‘Going back to Italy for a new beginning is what is best for him and Giada.’

Graziano, who was due to compete in his seventh series of Strictly before his sacking, is taking legal action against the BBC, MailOnline revealed on Monday.

The BBC has vowed to fight back after it was revealed that Strictly Come Dancing star Graziano Di Prima is taking legal action against the broadcaster.

The Sicilian dancer believes he should have been ‘supported and helped’ with his behaviour after bosses warned him about his treatment of former Love Island star Zara.

But a BBC insider told the Mail that the broadcaster will fight back, explaining: ‘Why would any workplace, particularly one paid for by the public, offer support to someone who acted in an undoubtedly abhorrent manner?’

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Following the drama, Strictly Come Dancing bosses have announced plans to introduce chaperones during training, and the appointment of two new welfare producers

Graziano, who allegedly ‘kicked and hit’ Zara, argues that he was not given any advice on how to deal with the pressure of competing in the show.

A friend of the professional dancer said yesterday: ‘There are questions over their [the BBC’s] procedures, and how they operate behind the scenes.’

‘He [Di Prima] believes that there is a lot of pressure on professionals to get nines or tens to entertain the audience.’

Following the drama, Strictly Come Dancing bosses have announced plans to introduce chaperones during training, and the appointment of two new welfare producers.

Now, bosses have announced that they would be introducing ‘additional steps to strengthen welfare and support on Strictly Come Dancing.’

A statement from the corporation said: ‘Concerns that have arisen in recent months have been fundamentally about training and rehearsals. The actions we announce today are designed to address that.’

The new measures include a member of the production team being present during training room rehearsals at all times, and increased support for both celebrity contestants and the professional dancers.

A  Celebrity Welfare Producer and a Professional Dancer Welfare Producer will both be appointed to fulfil these added duties, and further training will also be delivered for the production team and crew.

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Source: The Wall Street Journal