Strictly Come Dancing champion Vito Coppola maintained a friendship with fellow pro Graziano di Prima after he was fired from the show for “gross misconduct”.

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Graziano di Prima with 2023 partner Zara McDermott before he was axed from Strictly (Image: BBC)

Strictly’s Graziano di Prima had admitted to kicking his 2023 partner, Love Islander Zara McDermott and stepped away from the BBC show, but he had the unwavering support of his former colleague, Vito Coppola.

Fellow Italian Vito, who lifted the Glitterball trophy with ex-Coronation Street star Ellie Leach in 2023 which was his second year of competing, vowed back in September that he’d “love” Graziano “forever”. The pair had known each other for years and have a first language in common – and on Instagram recently, Vito posted a Story confirming the future of their documented friendship.

The two braved the chilly December winds to share a warming coffee together, grinning broadly at the camera as they clinked glasses in their latest update. Vito captioned the photo: “Amico mio ti voglio bene”, which translates to ‘My friend, I love you”.

In an Instagram post this evening, Graziano also shared a snap, telling his friend of their recent meeting: “How wonderful it was to hug you again, my friend! Our friendship is stronger than anything, remember you’re a special person, with a big heart!!
love you and wish you all the best in everything you do.”

The repeat declaration of love makes it clear that Vito have maintained their friendship. Meanwhile, Graziano is set to make a comeback, despite it initially being unclear whether he’d work in the UK again or not.

He issued a public apology for kicking Zara at the time, suggesting that his “intense passion and determination to win might have affected [his] training regime”. He later suggested that he made contact with Zara accidentally while kicking the ground in frustration as they struggled to get a tricky routine right.

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Strictly’s Vito Coppola has maintained a friendship with Graziano di Prima (Image: INSTAGRAM)

In an earlier Instagram clip filmed during rehearsals, Zara revealed that she’d nicknamed him “sweet and sour” in a nod to how he could sometimes be affectionate with her, but in other moments lost his temper.

Graziano also admitted he’d called her “rubbish”, while other footage showed her seemingly passed out on the floor after a particularly taxing dancing session.

It was subsequently revealed that Zara had danced through the agony of a broken leg, while on painkillers, in her eagerness to succeed.

However, the couple were eliminated on Halloween week, while Vito and Ellie sailed through to win the entire competition.

Graziano di Prima at a Ballando con Stelle event with Michele Vanossi (Image: INSTAGRAM)

Remorseful Graziano has been busily making a comeback, appearing in the Netflix film A Paris Christmas Waltz, alongside the likes of Matthew Morrison, Jen Lilley, Jade Ewen and Paul Freeman.

Graziano also teamed up this month with Italian Dancing With The Stars winner Pasquale La Rocca as a special guest at his London dance classes.

The pair hit the Du Boisson Studios in the West End to give five hours of instruction which was suitable for all, “regardless of skill level”.

Meanwhile, Graziano clearly maintains the friendship of Vito, who revealed in a statement in the summer: “I’ve known him since years ago, when we were competing. I love him and I will love him forever.”