Strictly's Zara McDermott shares "up and down" emotions after exit

Christine Maguire
·2 min read
zara mcdermott, graziano di prima, strictly come dancing
Strictly's Zara McDermott shares exit emotionsBBC
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Strictly Come Dancing spoilers follow.

Zara McDermott and Graziano Di Prima have reflected on their Strictly Come Dancing
experience after becoming the fifth couple to leave this series.

The pair exited the competition on Sunday (October 29) after losing the dance-off to Adam Thomas and Luba Mushtuk. They performed the Charleston to 'Jeepers Creepers' by Al Donahue & His Orchestra.

"It's been a real up and down of emotions, the last few days, of just processing everything," Zara told host Fleur East on Strictly: It Takes Two tonight (October 30).

zara mcdermott, graziano di prima, strictly come dancing
BBC

"I think today was the hardest moment ever, just not going to training. I literally texted [Graziano] the moment I woke up with a sad face," she said. "I've spent seven weeks, 12 hours a day with this man and now, not anymore. It's sad, it's really sad.’

Related: Strictly Come Dancing announces fifth elimination

The Love Island star revealed she was "a bit gutted" when she failed to win over the judges with her Charleston.

"But I just think, we put everything into that, I physically couldn't have done any more than I did," she said.

tess daly, zara mcdermott, graziano di prima, strictly come dancing
BBC

Related: Strictly's Zara McDermott breaks silence after show exit

Graziano praised her for never giving up. "I never had a partner that has been working so hard like she did," he said. "Our morning was like, me coming at 8am and I'd find her already in the room, going through the steps. It was Monday, and she would be saying to me, 'I've done my research, I'm ready.'

"Lunch break, I would ask her, 'Please can we have half an hour?' and she would be with a big bottle of water, going through the steps. So she is literally what Strictly is all about."

"I'm just so grateful for the memories and I'm honestly going to be thinking about this until I am old and grey," Zara added. "I'm going to be dining out on this forever."

Strictly Come Dancing airs on Saturdays and Sundays on BBC One, while spin-off Strictly: It Takes Two airs on weeknights on BBC Two. Both shows are available to stream on BBC iPlayer.

Tickets for Strictly's 2024 live arena tour are available now.

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