Graziano di Prima's five-word realisation after bullying ordeal and dancing doubts

Graziano di Prima was visibly emotional as he reflected on the moment he almost gave up dancing after childhood bullies used his passion against him. In the BBC Three clip from four years ago the former Strictly Come Dancing star, who was dropped from this year's lineup on the Saturday night show after footage of him kicking his 2023 celebrity partner Zara McDermott surfaced, explained his journey.

Sitting in front of a boxing ring he recalled discovering that dance was his passion. Unfortunately, not everyone was delighted he had discovered something he loved.

"I knew that I loved dancing," he said to the camera. "I could do that for my life or work in the vineyard there was this guy every day he was making joke of me.

"'Yeah you are dancing, your long hair, you're like a girl'. One day I was home going out from school he slapped me from the back and say, 'oh yeah are you going to dance like a lady?' I said to him, 'maybe one day I will make it'."

Bullying wasn't the only obstacle he faced in his desire to dance. The 30-year-old became tearful as he recollected the moment his dreams came crashing down around him.

"Basically my dad told me we cannot afford any more because we need to pay for lessons, competition, transfer and for me was like a punch in the face," he said.

"I still remember how hard and that feeling that there was in the room when they told me that," he continued welling up.

"I said I will not dance anymore. Maybe it's not the right direction for me. It's better that I just give up. That's it!" he said.

"But a few weeks [later] I realised I needed to dance and I still remember I went to my garage downstairs I just put the music on and I start to dance alone.

"There was no lights on. It was almost dark. And I started to dance alone just to have the feeling again and I think there I realised that I cannot live without dancing," he remembered.

He went on to reveal that he managed to raise the money to pay for his classes himself by teaching people to dance. He continued to teach even throughout his time in Strictly and recently one of his recent former pupils Nicoletta Adda of Pinkananas Image Consultancy recalled his teaching fondly to Express.co.uk.

"He's just the most amazing teacher, and he's got so much patience with everyone, because if it was a group lesson, we were all different [levels], and he just had time for every single one of us. So I can only say, you know, positive things about him."

"He's a very good teacher because he's been teaching for a very long time," she pondered. "He knows what it takes, but he's very patient as well, and it's a lot of fun. I always had so much fun because he makes you laugh.

"He makes you feel good, actually," she recalled. "Because even if you're not the best mover in the world he has a way to make you improve, but at the same time, encourage you and give you the incentive you need to go forward.

"Obviously, you know you can never become like him unless you start from when you are three years old. But he tries to position you to achieve [learning the dance]. It's always special to dance with him."