CAPITAL star Vick Hope blamed Strictly for being the ‘catalyst’ to her breakdown.
The presenter, who was partnered with Graziano Di Prima in 2018, described rehearsals as “brutal”.
Vick, 34, suffered from a breakdown after she was booted off the show after failing to master a cha-cha.
Looking back on her time on the programme, she told Marie Claire UK: “I loved the craftsmanship but it was incredibly tiring. I was doing Capital Breakfast at the same time so it was brutal – the show, the interviews and meetings, then eight hours of training.”
She added that she “didn’t live in the moment” during her time on the show.
“I’d thought that was going to be dancing, but in reality I learned a whole lot more.
“Of course, I was devastated when the dance lessons were cut short, but that was merely a catalyst for the breakdown that followed.
Graziano has returned to his native home of Italy after he was axed from Strictly after footage of him spitting and kicking at Zara McDermott.
He issued a statement telling fans that he “deeply regrets the events that lead to his departure from Strictly”.
Zara has also broken her silence with a lengthy statement and said she was “scared to speak up”.
She said: “I felt it was right that I post something regarding the recent media reports.
“Strictly is one of the most magical shows on TV and one that I dreamt of being on since I was a little girl.
“When I was invited to be a contestant on the show it really was a childhood dream come true.
“I fully understood the level of commitment and hard work that Strictly was going to be and I dedicated everything to it.
“I am a resilient person and I was fully prepared to put in whatever it took.
“And so much of my Strictly experience was everything I could have dreamt of.
“The entire production team and everyone behind the scenes as well as my fellow contestants were so amazing to work with.
“However, 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.
“But after a lot of conversations 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 continued: “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 really truly means a lot. Love, always.
Zara.”
