BBC Strictly Come Dancing's Sarah Hadland makes heartbreaking admission about her time on show

Sarah Hadland has been lighting up the Strictly Come Dancing dance floor with her professional partner Vito Coppola - and the pair are loving every moment

When you mix two high-voltage personalities like Sarah Hadland and Vito Coppola, sparks are bound to fly. Sarah, renowned for her role in the hit comedy series Miranda alongside her pal Miranda Hart, is currently wowing audiences on Strictly Come Dancing with Italian dance maestro Vito. Their commitment and infectious enthusiasm are unmistakable. During an exclusive photoshoot with OK!, the dynamic duo couldn't contain their excitement about the 70s-themed set and wardrobe.

"We feel amazing – these outfits! I actually feel a bit gangster! " Sarah exclaimed with a chuckle, while Vito chimed in with, "I love it. Very, very cool." It's evident that Sarah and Vito have developed a strong camaraderie, with Vito playfully ribbing Sarah on how to "walk properly," and Sarah effortlessly executing complex dance moves before hilariously mimicking Vito's accent. They open up about their Strictly journey, cultural learning, and how leaving the show's "glorious technicolour" will be a tough act to follow, reports OK!.

Quizzed her about her experience on Strictly Come Dancing, Sarah was still pinching herself at the thought of being a part of the dazzling BBC competition. "I've always been a Strictly super fan, so this is so surreal. Every year I have a big group of friends I watch it with, and now I'm in it! It's mad. It's simultaneously exhilarating and terrifying." she gushed.

The 53 year old mum-of-one compared the experience to riding a "speeding train", admitting: "Sometimes, you want to get off, have a cup of tea and a lie-down, but you wouldn't dream of it, because it's so thrilling you don't want it to end. It feels like a fairy tale. Everything else will feel like black and white after this." Vito, in his third season on the show, finds each year brings new surprises. "It's very exciting. When you start this journey each year, you don't know what to expect. Each celebrity is different, and the bond you form is unique. It's intense, it's a roller-coaster – but we enjoy the ride so much! " he enthused.

Sarah, brimming with energy, believes she and Vito are a perfect match: "We're both very expressive and full-on. We sometimes go a bit bonkers in training. Vito is involved in every element of the performance, from lighting to costumes. That's the mark of somebody that wants things to be good. We're both hard-working and we both care a lot." Vito revealed he shares much in common with his dance partner: "Oh, we definitely have the same energy levels," agrees Vito. "And a similar sense of humour – we love to have fun and we love our food! We also have a similar work ethic. We really get into the zone. I define myself as a bit of a golden retriever, but we're both excitable! "

Their dynamic partnership has led to some impressive performances, yet for Sarah, the standout was their Harry Potter-themed Viennese waltz which paid homage to Dame Maggie Smith and left fans emotional: "That was special," she said. She's proud of the praise she received from Strictly's Anton Du Beke for pulling off a complex move during their routine: "Then, to have Anton saying I'd done the hardest move he'd ever seen on Strictly... I didn't know what he was talking about at the time, but it felt amazing! "

Despite her success, Sarah admits to experiencing self-doubt, but chooses to focus on the present moment, relishing the live shows and the advice of past participants: "This show is live, for a start! Which is part of the thrill, too. But I've spoken to people who've done the show before and they've all said the same thing – be present. Enjoy performing a dance with a professional dancer, in a beautiful costume with gorgeous music. I do try, otherwise it's a wasted experience."

Sarah's mum, affectionately known as "Beaky", is one of her biggest supporters. She attended the launch show and two live shows so far. "Oh, she loves Strictly," Sarah beams. "She was a ballerina as a teenager – she played Alice in Alice in Wonderland for the BBC when she was 14. She was being trained to be a prima ballerina, but gave it up at 19; she didn't want to do it any more."

"She went to work in Harrods, and that's where she met my dad. But she loves the show so much – she feels ballet was a bit too strict for her and she couldn't experiment so much. She loves all the different dances." Sarah also revealed her mum has a soft spot for Vito. "Oh, she adores Vito. Adores him. When she first met him, she kissed him on the cheek, took a photo, and asked me print it off so she could carry it round in her handbag and show people, 'Look, that's Vito, kissing me.' I said to him, 'You're going to end up on the hall stairs and landing, you know...'".

Sarah gushed over her Strictly peers, praising blind comedian Chris McCausland as the "funniest and loveliest man," and labelling Dr Punam as her "best mate on the show." And she has also found a close pal in former TOWIE star Pete Wicks, saying, "Pete is lovely – I had some great chats with him. He's a deep thinker. They're all lovely. We all scream for each other on a Saturday night."

Vito chimed in about the camaraderie among the cast: "Yes, the whole group is so supportive of each other. There's a lot of hugging – especially where I'm involved!". Despite the daunting task of facing the Strictly judging panel weekly, Sarah and Vito remain unfazed. "It's simply an honour to get feedback from them," expressed Vito, valuing their extensive expertise and diverse personalities.

Sarah views critique as a rite of passage, pointing out, "It's part of the show. If you haven't been criticised by Craig, have you even done Strictly? ! Vito and I are actually a bit obsessed with Shirley. She's such a queen. She has this schoolteacher vibe when she's critiquing you – like you've really let her down! I must say, as an uber-fan, these four judges are the best combo since the show started."

Sarah has become a fan favourite on the dance floor, with observers stopping her even during mundane tasks to chat about her performance. She shared, "I've had people come up to me in the supermarket and talk to me about my 'gapping' and I'm like, 'I know, I know, I need to work on my gapping...' I love it. People have been so lovely about our partnership."

It's not just the audience that admires Sarah; her dance partner Vito speaks fondly of his former partners, too. He reminisced, "I speak to Fleur and Ellie constantly! Ellie told me that she's voting for us every single week. Strictly doesn't just teach you how to dance, it gives you these friendships with people that end up staying in your life forever. I wake up in the morning and am just so happy to do what I do."

Sarah also has support from her good friend and comedian Miranda Hart who is another Strictly devotee and keeps close ties with lots of encouraging messages. Sarah beamed, "Miranda has told me that having a close friend on it has made her fall in love with Strictly even more. We have a huge WhatsApp group of friends – when I was watching it, we'd normally meet up at Miranda's and make a night of it, and I'd usually watch the final with Miranda and Patricia Hodge, who plays Penny."

It's clear that Vito and Sarah's friendship extends well beyond the dance floor. Vito has whipped up a pizza for Sarah during practice, and in return, she's taught him the art of brewing the perfect cup of tea. The cultural swap doesn't stop there: "I did want to convert Sarah to proper Italian coffee, but she's sticking with tea," Vito laments, while Sarah delights in sharing her own culinary staples. Sarah laughs, "Oh, I've converted Vito to boiled egg and soldiers (no, I'll never be going on Celebrity MasterChef like Vito), cheese on toast and the pièce de résistance... Marmite on toast!"

Vito muses on the British love affair with buttered toast, drawing parallels with the Italian penchant for olive oil; "Here, on toast, it is all about the butter. But you have to use salty butter. There is so much dedication about the toast! " Sarah plans to get spaghetti on toast next on Vito's menu, though he is dubious: "No, no, I'm really not sure about this situation..."

Sarah also expresses her desire to share her passion for camping with Vito: "I'd like to take Vito camping. I love camping. I like to get my little stove out... I think he'd really like it. What do you think about being in a two-man tent with me, Vito? " Vito responds to the prospect enthusiastically, "Oh, like a boy scout? Warming our food on the fire? Yes, I'd like to. Why not? I'm always open to new experiences."

Once her Strictly journey comes to an end, Sarah will start shooting the second series of the sitcom Daddy Issues with David Morrissey in January. She also has some comedy writing projects up her sleeve, one of which involves Vito. "I really want to give Vito his first comedy role in British television. That's a goal for me, so watch this space! " she says. Meanwhile, Sarah confesses that she doesn't want this dream to end.

"Once this series is finished, I'll probably keep turning up at Elstree Studios anyway," she jokes. "They'll look at me strangely and be like, 'Sarah, it's over! ' I'll be like, 'No, no, no.' I'll rent out a little room there, and pay Vito to turn up every Saturday night for a little dance." "I''d do that for free, with pleasure! " Vito responds with a grin. And we believe him.