Strictly's Graziano di Prima's tragic brush with death in heartbreaking start to life

Strictly's Graziano di Prima has shared a heartbreaking story of his close brush with death. The Strictly Come Dancing star revealed that he faced extremely testing conditions soon after being born on an Italian vineyard and was fighting for survival.

The professional dancer unveiled the heartbreaking details surrounding his birth stating: "I was born seven weeks early and my brother didn't make it. [The doctors] thought I was dead too at first, because I wasn't breathing."

Graziano, which translates to "grateful" in Italian, is the name given by his mum to express her gratitude towards his miraculous survival. Reflecting on his challenging early years, he shared that he frequently fell ill and had to stay in bed whilst working hard on the fields.

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Graziano Di Prima spent his early childhood in a hospital for premature infants, being "skinny" and constantly battling fevers, reports the Express. Opening up about the hardships he and his parents faced back then, Graziano said: "My parents worked on the land all day for a humble income," revealing that he "never" had the means to afford luxe items such as trendy trainers.

He soberly added that he "understood the sacrifice" and was ready to pitch in for farm work from an early age. However, he found his place in the world through dance it invigorated him, a path his mother, who he fondly refers to as his "best friend forever", wholeheartedly supported.

"My mum would never buy me Nike shoes. She would say: 'We [have to] save money for dancing! '" Graziano worked around this by saving his money for dance pursuits.

Despite hailing from a disadvantaged area of Sicily, the family undertook lengthy drives to shuttle him to dance competitions a costly mission involving significant savings and sacrifice but ultimately deemed worthwhile. "Some competitions were a 12-hour car ride away," he reflected.

"I was living dual lives. During school hours, I was just like any other kid, but outside, I was completely lost in dreams of dancing! " said Graziano.

Notably, he boldly dismissed jabs from bullies suggesting his long hair was "unnatural" for a male. His unique look has now become one of his most identifiable traits.

Graziano made an undeniable mark on TV screens last year, partnering with Love Islander Zara McDermott on Strictly Come Dancing. Despite not taking home the 2023 trophy, Graziano is filled with ambition over future possibilities.

Today, as Graziano celebrates his 30th birthday, he headlines at the London Palladium alongside 11 other Strictly pro dancers, including Dianne Buswell, Vito Coppola, Carlos Gu, Karen Hauer, Neil Jones, Nikita Kuzmin, Gorka Marquez, Luba Mushtuk, Jowita Przystal, Michelle Tsiakkas and Nancy Xu.

The show, described as a stunning "theatrical ensemble", is still touring the country with 28 more performances lined up, concluding on June 1 in Stockton.