Strictly Come Dancing legend Kristina Rihanoff has issued an ominous four-word warning after controversy hit the iconic BBC show. In recent weeks there have been a string of allegations made against Graziano Di Prima over his interactions with Zara McDermott during rehearsals for the programme. In the wake of these allegations, several more celebrities and professional dancers have come out to say how Strictly had negatively impacted them physically, as the show approaches its 20th anniversary.
Kristina – who was a pro on Strictly between 2008 and 2015 – has now spoken out and warned that there could be more bombshells to come. Kristina told Closer UK: “I’m shocked about what happened – I feel so sorry for Zara. She should never have had that experience.
Her dream has been shattered in a cloud of abuse. “There is a lot of pressure that comes from within the professional dancers. They are from a really strict, competitive background.
They want to be the best and win the show.” This isn’t the first warning that Kristina has issued about life on Strictly. Appearing on Good Morning Britain on Monday, the 46-year-old said regarding rehearsals for the show: “You can’t get frustrated.
” She added that one way to help the situation would be for BBC chiefs to check that the professional dancers on the show were also skilled teachers. Explaining her suggestion, Kristina said: “I think what it has to start with is the proper vetting process. When I was offered the show, I had to do a very in-depth interview and had to present all of my professional qualifications, I had to present a lot of references from the dancing bodies in America, who knew me and which umbrella I worked under.
“So they had a lot of references, who I am and who I was, I had ten years of teaching experience. A lot of people who were on the show with me at that time had the same kind of pedigree. “I think that's very important because when you get somebody who is very young and doesn't have the experience to teach because, at the end of the day, this is the primary job, you know there are lots of great dancers out there, but it does not mean they are good teachers.
“It's not just about being general teachers, it's about teaching novices, someone who can't dance, and you can't get frustrated, you just have to be able to deliver information and get the best out of it.”.
