Clickmen
Kym Marsh has mentioned she has “fond memories” of her time on Strictly Come Dancing and indicated she was stunned by allegations about her former dance associate Graziano Di Prima.
Speaking to The Belfast Telegraph, the actress cautioned she didn’t need to touch upon every other contestant’s expertise.
But she added: “I didn’t have any experiences like we’ve heard.”
Di Prima is not going to be returning to this yr’s collection, after claims about his behaviour within the Strictly coaching room.
His 2023 dance associate, Zara McDermott, has mentioned she was concerned in incidents in rehearsals which she now finds “incredibly distressing” to observe again.
Di Prima’s spokesman later admitted to Daily News News that he had kicked McDermott as soon as in a rehearsal final yr.
The dancer advised the Daily Mail on the weekend that he “wasn’t meaning to kick her” and insisted he’s “not an abusive man”.
Marsh was partnered with Di Prima within the 2022 collection of the dance contest.
When quizzed about her time on the present, Marsh mentioned: “I’m reluctant to talk too much about someone else’s experience. I had one of the best times of my life doing that show and it was amazing.
“I didn’t have any experiences like we’ve heard. It definitely, definitely did not represent what I had experienced, no.”
The actress, who is currently starring in the stage musical 101 Dalmatians, was asked if she was surprised to hear the allegations levelled at Di Prima, to which she responded: “Yeah.”
She added: “I’ll always have tremendously fond memories.”
Strictly – with its bright lights, sparkles and sequins – has been running for 20 years.
The new series is due to start in a matter of weeks, with Sam Quek, Nick Knowles and Paul Merson among the celebrity line-up.
But recently, the show has been caught up in controversy.
A number of former celebrity contestants – including McDermott, Amanda Abbington and Laura Whitmore – have made allegations about the way they were treated on the series.
Paralympian Will Bayley has also spoken out about his experiences. He was injured after he says he felt pressured into doing a jump.
Last week, a BBC News investigation heard allegations of a “poisonous tradition” from some former junior staff on the show, although other workers told a positive story of dancers and crew who were kind and respectful to them.
The BBC has said it will introduce measures to “strengthen welfare and assist” on the show, including a chaperone who will be present “always” during training room rehearsals.
It has also said it doesn’t recognise the claims from production staff, nor will “tons of of manufacturing personnel” who have worked across the two decades the show has been on air.
Daily News News has approached Di Prima’s representatives for remark.
