Strictly Come Dancing star Graziano Di Prima has confirmed that he is leaving the show.

In a statement on Instagram, he said he “deeply regrets” the events leading up to his departure and acknowledged that his “intense passion and determination to win might have affected my training regime”.

A BBC spokesperson confirmed that Di Prima was “no longer a part of the line-up of professional dancers for the upcoming series”.

“While we would never comment on individual cases, it is well-known that the BBC has established a robust duty of care procedures, and if issues are raised we will always take them seriously and act swiftly as appropriate,” they said.