Strictly star Ellie Leach has opened up about her are-they-aren’t-they relationship with pro dancer Vito Coppola.
The former Coronation Street actress admitted to Mail Online: “Vito is wild. But that’s what makes every single day such fun.”
Ellie, 22, and 31-year-old Vito are busy preparing for Musicals week on tonight’s Strictly Come Dancing.
The fan favourites have fuelled speculation that they are an item since the early days of the show, with Vito calling Ellie by the nickname Lulu. They even revealed that Vito goes round to Ellie’s family home in Manchester for dinner with her parents.
Ellie Leach: ‘Vito’s part of the family’
Now, Ellie explains: “He’s become part of the family. They love him and he loves my mum’s gravy. My mum cooked a beef stew – just an ordinary beef stew, nothing special I thought, but he loved it. So every time he comes round for tea, he asks ‘Will there be gravy?'”
Sounds cosy to us! But Ellie didn’t answer when asked if she and Vito are an item. Instead she said: “There is always speculation about the couples on Strictly. But honestly we are just so busy dancing.”
Well, Vito and Ellie are definitely doing well in the dancing department. Last week’s steamy Argentine Tango placed them at the top of the leaderboard with scores of 10 from both Motsi Mabuse and Shirley Ballas.
Afterwards, Vito paid tribute to his “Lulu” on Instagram, saying: “I am so so proud of you Ellie and the woman you are becoming. Weeks ago I met a girl and now look at you.”
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‘It’s just Vito and me on the dance floor’
Fans loved it too, and now Ellie says: “I’d never done anything like this before, but he’s such a great teacher and a great human that he gives me the confidence. Vito has encouraged me to come out of my comfort zone.
“We do deep breaths before we go out so that I forget about the judges and the audience, and it’s just Vito and me on the dance floor.”
However, not everyone is convinced by the rumours about Vito and Ellie’s potential romance. One insider has suggested that the rumours could all be part of a plan to make it to the finals.
A source told The Sun: “Vito is an experienced pro, and knows what he’s doing. He and Ellie had an instant friendship and a great connection, but it definitely wasn’t sexual.”
Strictly Come Dancing continues on Saturday night at 7.25pm on BBC One.
Read more: Strictly fans fume as they insist Ellie and Vito’s dance deserved a score of 40.
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