Zara McDermott has suffered heartbreak in the public eye but has never let it hold her back. The 27-year-old presenter first gained recognition when she appeared as a contestant on the fourth series of Love Island in 2018, but she has since garnered attention for her brilliant work in raising awareness of important topics with her BBC documentaries on image-based sexual abuse (also known as revenge porn), rape culture and disordered eating. The former reality TV star has turned her negative experiences into positives, highlighting topical issues that young adults and schoolchildren suffer behind closed doors.
Now, she has bravely spoken out about her experience on Strictly Come Dancing , following allegations her professional partner Graziano Di Prima behaved inappropriately. Zara previously praised Sicilian dancer Graziano when they were eliminated from the series in 2023. However, she's now said that she has been "wrestling with the fear of opening up" in a poignant post on Instagram.
It was reported the Italian star, 30, acted inappropriately towards her before he was axed from the BBC series. Stating the Strictly call was a "dream come true", Zara said: "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 incredibly distressing to watch . 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 shamin.