Bombshell moment former Strictly star Zara McDermott RETURNS to show weeks after Graziano Di Prima axed for kicking her

CRISIS-hit Strictly was fixed a much-needed ballot of assurance past nighttime — aft Zara McDermott made a melodramatic instrumentality arsenic a ballroom guest.

Her astonishment appearance successful the assemblage was a invited show for the BBC amusement rocked by a drawstring of bullying allegations and months of turmoil.

Zara, 27, came backmost conscionable weeks aft erstwhile creation spouse Graziano Di Prima was axed for kicking her successful rehearsals.

The erstwhile Love Islander joined fellow Sam Thompson, 32, arsenic they cheered connected pal Pete Wicks for his archetypal unrecorded performance.

A root said: “Zara was determination to enactment her mate - but it does look bully for the BBC too.

“It’s a monolithic ballot of assurance for them and bosses indispensable beryllium ecstatic.

“Zara is trying to enactment everything down her and conscionable wants to determination on.

“This shows that she inactive has a batch of emotion for Strictly - and wants the satellite to spot that.

“Her and Sam look to beryllium amended than ever too.”

Zara and I’m A Celebrity Winner Sam were deed by divided rumours earlier this year.

But they presented a agreed beforehand past nighttime for world prima Pete arsenic helium took to the dancefloor with his pro spouse Jowita Przystal, 30.

We revealed successful July that Zara’s erstwhile creation spouse Graziano had been sacked from Strictly aft bosses were shown shocking footage of clashes with the telly star.

The Italian, 30, was accused of hitting, spitting and kicking her during rehearsals for past year’s series.

He has since admitted to kicking her by mistake but branded different claims “vile and false”.

The claims against Graziano were the biggest ungraded to stone Strictly successful its 20-year history.

It follows bullying claims by histrion Amanda Abbington and different celebrities against different Italian dancer, erstwhile pro Giovanni Pernice.

Sherlock prima Amanda, 52, lodged a ailment against Giovanni aft she discontinue past year’s amusement early, accusing him of being “abusive, cruel and mean”.

The dancer, 34, who near Strictly aft 9 years successful May, has denied immoderate wrongdoing.

It is believed six radical were spoken to during a BBC probe into the allegations, with the findings yet to beryllium released.

Zara’s daze quality past nighttime comes conscionable a week aft the ratings for the Saturday nighttime motorboat amusement deed an historical debased successful the aftermath of the scandals.

The BBC One juggernaut lone had a highest assemblage of 5.7million - a cardinal down connected the aforesaid amusement past twelvemonth and 3.3million little than the 9 cardinal highest who watched successful 2020.

A TV insider said of the Giovanni probe: “The BBC is acceptable to people its probe immoderate time present truthful tensions are moving precocious down the scenes.

“Zara has ever considered herself inactive portion of the Strictly household and the BBC are overjoyed she has chosen to travel backmost arsenic a guest.”

It is understood that each contestant is offered a brace of tickets each week to invitation household and friends to the unrecorded show.

The BBC are besides believed to person a fig of tickets for erstwhile contestants and friends of the amusement truthful they tin besides watch.

Last twelvemonth Pete joined Sam successful the assemblage to enactment Zara connected the show.

The 2 pals, who big a podcast together, were seen wearing matching floral shirts adorned with a photograph of her face.

Despite her ordeal connected the show, Pete has revealed that Zara encouraged him to instrumentality part.

He said: “Zara was the 1 that benignant of pushed maine to bash this due to the fact that she loves the show.

“The archetypal clip I saw Strictly was the archetypal unrecorded amusement past twelvemonth erstwhile Zara was connected and I conscionable thought, ‘Wow, this is amazing’.

“But I ne'er imagined myself doing it.

“Sequins, each that stuff, is not needfully my style.”

Zara, present besides a BBC documentary maker, said of her stint: “Everyone down the scenes arsenic good arsenic my chap contestants were amazing.”

It comes aft Strictly won the Talent Show class successful the National Television Awards for the ninth twelvemonth successful a enactment past week - contempt the ongoing turmoil.

A BBC spokeswoman said: “We were delighted to invited Zara McDermott backmost to ticker the archetypal Strictly unrecorded amusement to enactment her person Pete Wicks during his archetypal unrecorded performance.”