Zara McDermott is claimed to have danced with a “broken leg” she kept secret from producers following an injury sustained during training with Graziano Di Prima.
The 27-year-old former Love Island star broke her silence recently to claim she faced a “distressing” time with the dancer.
It’s now been reported the reality star had in fact fractured her leg but was unaware of the extent of her injury.
An insider told the Sun: “Zara had started getting injured in the build-up to the Halloween dance then something went on the morning, meaning she danced with a fractured leg all that week.
“It was a literal horror show in every sense of the word.”
Sources close to McDermott went on to tell the publication: “The pain got worse and by the last few weeks, she was in agony, popping painkillers before, during and after sessions.
“She made Graziano aware of her discomfort but he was pretty adamant they needed to crack on.
Graziano Di Prima was axed from Strictly Come Dancing recently
BBC
“Obviously they both wanted to get the highest scores possible, and unfortunately she pushed through the pain.”
It’s understood McDermott made Di Prima aware of her injury ahead of the Halloween Special and the pair agreed to battle through, but ended up losing a dance-off and were eliminated from the competition on that night.
McDermott reportedly headed to hospital over the injury following her exit.
It comes after McDermott issued a lengthy statement after news broke that Di Prima, 30, had been axed from Strictly.
Zara McDermott reportedly danced on Strictly with a ‘fractured leg’
BBC
She announced: “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 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 shaming,” she added.
“But after a lot of conversation 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.
“The culture within our society makes it difficult for people to speak up, especially in 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.
Zara McDermott recently made a statement about her ‘distressing’ time on Strictly
BBC
“I would like to thank the BBC & BBC Studios for their swift action and incredibly high level of support, as well as everyone who has reached out to me – it truly means a lot.”
Di Prima was the second professional dancer to be removed from the competition after Giovanni Pernice also made an exit following the BBC probe into allegations made by celebrity contestants on the show.
The BBC has announced previously it won’t be commenting on individual cases, however – a BBC spokesperson confirmed that Di Prima was “no longer a part of the line-up of professional dancers for the upcoming series”.
They also added: “While we would never comment on individual cases, it is well-known that the BBC has established a robust duty of care procedures, and if issues are raised we will always take them seriously and act swiftly as appropriate.”
GB News has reached out to McDermott’s representatives for a comment.
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