Axed Strictly star Graziano pays emotional tribute to wife for ‘standing by his side’ as he rebuilds his life
STRICTLY Come Dancing star Graziano Di Prima has issued a heartfelt tribute to his wife as he rebuilds his life following his axing from the show.
Graziano, 30, was sacked by the BBC earlier this year after he was alleged to have "hit and kicked" one of his former dance partners.
The Italian dancer, who joined Strictly in 2018, fled the UK amid the scandal and has only recently returned.
Graziano has now paid an emotional tribute to his wife Giada on her birthday and thanked her for 'standing by his side'.
Taking to Instagram, he shared a section of photographs of himself and professional dancer Giada, who he married in 2022.
Graziano wrote: "Today is a special day because it’s the birthday of the most important woman in my life - my wife, Giada.
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"The strongest woman I know, the one who has changed my life and always stood by my side.
"With you, I’ve learned so much, and I keep learning every day."
He continued: "I want to dedicate these words to you, even though they’ll never be enough to express how much I love you and how extraordinary you are to me.
"You are the best woman I know, my greatest support, my strength, and my love. I want to grow old with you and cherish every single day of my life with you"
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Graziano signed off by thanking Giada for being his "rock".
"I love you endlessly. Thank you for being who you are, for changing my life, and for being my rock. Happy birthday, my love." he added.
In July 2022, Graziano and Giada tied the knot in a traditional Roman Catholic ceremony in Sicily.
The couple had previously been forced to cancel their wedding plans twice due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Earlier this month, Graziano was spotted in London with Giada as they headed to a dance class together.
Giada held onto her smiling husband's arm as they made their way inside.
This was the first time in months that Graziano has been pictured in the UK.
Graziano had previously fled to Italy after it was alleged he had "repeatedly hit and kicked" his 2023 celeb partner, Love Island star Zara McDermott.
Video footage, which was filmed during the rehearsal process, reportedly reduced production staff "to tears" and Graziano was sacked hours after BBC bosses watched the clips.
Graziano Di Prima - Strictly statement in FULL
GRAZIANO Di Prima has addressed his Strictly Come Dancing sacking with a statement on social media - see the details below.
In a statement shared to his Instagram page Graziano wrote: "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."
He continued: "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."
He concluded the post: "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."
Last month, however, Graziano teased a return to the limelight.
Professing his love for dance, he wrote on Instagram: "Dance has always been the centre of my life, my greatest passion, the path I chose and dedicated years of study, sacrifice, and love to.
"After a period of reflection, I feel stronger than ever and eager to return to what I love most: dancing."
Graziano continued: "The future is a whole world of new open windows, ready to welcome new dreams and new challenges, and I'm excited to continue this journey with even more determination and inspiration."
He added: "A heartfelt thank you to everyone who is always there for me. I'm thrilled to dance again with the same enthusiasm and dedication as always.
"See you soon, whether on stage or through new projects that I will be very excited to share with you."
Earlier this week, Graziano held a dance class for 100 people alongside Giada and fellow Italian professional Pasquale La Rocca.
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Pasquale has won Dancing With The Stars - the American version of Strictly - five times.
Sharing a video of the event on Instagram, Graziano said he will see fans soon "for more exciting new projects together".
