Vito Coppola was left gushing over his axed Strictly Come Dancing co-star as they marked a personal milestone ahead of their planned return to the UK.
Fans of the hit show will recall that Graziano Di Prima was due to return for the BBC One dance contest last year for the 2024 series, which marked Strictly's 20th year on air.
But shortly after the professional dancer line-up was announced in June ahead of the 2024 series launch in September, it was confirmed by the BBC that Graziano would no longer be returning to the ballroom.
A BBC spokesperson previously said at the time: "We can confirm that Graziano Di Prima is no longer a part of the line-up of professional dancers for the upcoming series of Strictly Come Dancing.
"While we would never comment on individual cases, it is well-known that the BBC has established robust duty of care procedures, and if issues are raised we will always take them seriously and act swiftly as appropriate."
At the time, Graziano said he "deeply regretted" the events that led to his exit and later acknowledged that his "intense passion and determination to win might have affected" his training regime.
But one person who has remained close to the dancer is fellow Italian star Vito Coppola, who has been confirmed as returning to the Strictly ballroom later this year after making the final back in December with actress Sarah Hadland.
On Wednesday (May 7), Vito took to social media to pay tribute to Graziano on his birthday. On Facebook alongside a photo of the two at the beach, he shared: "Happy birthday to my dear friend, my brother. You are a fantastic human and that's why you are so much well-loved. Love and miss you so much."
Vito also took to his Instagram Story with a video of the pair in which they were doing some DIY. Alongside the clip, he wrote: "Our 7 hours to get the wardrobe done. Miss you so much my brother."
The former Strictly champion also shared a video of him singing in a shower, which was previously posted by Graziano when they were on tour together, and said: "Happy birthday to this special human. 'Ti saro per sempre amico!'
"Love you so so much my brother and I miss you so so much!" The Italian part of the message translates to: "I will always be your friend!"
It comes after Graziano recently revealed he'll be returning to the UK where he'll be teaching people to dance across the country. Sharing the news on Instagram, he said: "UK, are you ready to dance with me?
"This May 2025, I’ll be touring across the UK with my @dancingwithgraz Dance Classes Tour , bringing the energy, rhythm, and passion of dance to cities all around the country!"
The dancer added: "Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced dancer, these workshops are for everyone who wants to move, learn, and have fun together.
"For more info or to express interest in bringing a class to your city in the future, feel free to get in touch: [email protected]. Let’s make May unforgettable. See you on the dance floor, UK!"
