Strictly Update.

It is being reported that he has been sacked for gross misconduct. Well that's according to The Daily Mail.

I saw that he had more or less admitted behaving badly in his efforts to perform well .

Well, I will miss him, have met him and been photographed with him twice, he`s a charming person, and a very good dancer.

Oh no. My favourite professional. I met him earlier this year with my granddaughter after a show. He was lovely. Chatted to fans and happily posed for photos 😞

A positive is that Alyjaz (sp) is back.

This is getting slightly ridiculous now.

There will be nobody left. Anton might have to go back to make up the numbers 😂😂😂

I wonder if it will be the end of Strictly. Graziano is being accused of "gross misconduct" which isn't a minor thing, although they say that Zara did not complain and has stayed friends with Graz since the programme.

Weekends would not be the same without this flagship programme.

We've just been talking about this on our family What'sApp group.

Varying opinions and the programme is to some degree a victim of it's own success.

The professionals (and the lesser known judges) tend to become celebrities in their own right now and are their aspirations and expectations too high to fit the original concept?

Do the pros find themselves with such a high profile that they're getting to feel a bit invincible and push the boundaries too far?

The level of dancing has got better year by year so inevitably the training becomes harder and harder - how far can you push an amateur? And how far do they want to be pushed?

The general opinion though was that the BBC are not going to let their flagship programme, aired peak time, sink.

Discuss!

I think it should not be shown this year but returning next, it would be good to return to the old version of knowing who has won on Saturday night. I hated that farce of pretending it was a different night.

I like Graziano but you can always see him showing off in the group dances.

If the camera is always on in the practice room, constantly filming with sound, where is all this bullying taking place?

Chardy

If the camera is always on in the practice room, constantly filming with sound, where is all this bullying taking place?

Perhaps that is where the evidence came from, rather than taking one person's word against another?

Are the cameras on all the time, though?

Chardy it is telelvision. It creates an illusion of reality that is far from what really happens. Who would want to watch these people going about their everyday lives? Also bullying by text is very common.

Bullying by text would have left evidence and would've been sorted out months ago.
Apparently the Zara bullying was reported by someone else.

According to the news on my phone, it was physical - hit and kicked as well as verbal abuse.

Sparklefizz

According to the news on my phone, it was physical - hit and kicked as well as verbal abuse.

Oh dear!

I agree ferry23 Strictly has moved so far away from the original concept.
Time to call it a day I think or return to more of the original format.

It's all rather odd.


Ms McDermott, who starred alongside the Italian dancer in last year's series, was victim to repeated physical and verbal abuse ongoing attacks behind the scenes of the Saturday night show.

While appearing on Strictly in 2023, Zara said of her dance partner: 'Bless Graz, I have started with literally no dance or performance experience whatsoever and he has been putting all of his energy into teaching me, with so much kindness, patience and passion.'

I have read that he has said that there is more to this story than has been reported and he will reveal what he is hinting at "When the time is right."

He has pretty much admitted that he was physically and verbally abusive, but says that he "should have been sent for anger management". Grrr! Why not take himself off for anger management if he felt he needed help? He's not accepting responsibility.

Funny, isn't it, that these men who have anger problems always seem able to control it if faced with someone bigger than them, but are unable to control it if the other person is smaller and weaker?

I feel sorry for Zara. She is trying to build a career, the celebs are paid more for each week they stay in the competition, and apparently the producers had already received 2 complaints about Graziano (not from Zara) but had done nothing. She must have known about the online abuse that Amanda Abbington received after her complaints, so Zara said nothing and spouted "the party line".

As a great Strictly fan ever since it began, I am sooo disillusioned and disappointed. I was more on Gio's side than Amanda's when she complained, but now with Graz there's no doubt at all, and it's shocking.

I hate to say this but I hope the programme is taken off the air now because I know I'll never find it so enjoyable again, and probably others feel the same.

I don't want it taken off air. Maybe selfishly. But surely it's best to sort out the problems rather than kill a program which brings pleasure to millions.

I think they should sort out the problems, maybe a,ways have a third person in the rehearsal room?

I definitely do not want to see it finish, it helps with the dismal winter Saturday nights.

I love watching strictly and was sad to hear the problems with Giovanni and Graziano. None of us know the truth and I continue to give both my support as fantastic dancers. I do hope this can be put to bed and the show carry on.

it was the camera operators and producers who reported the way Zara was treated. she was kicked twice. You would think that one kick would make you leave the room and complain wouldn't you.