Inside Strictly's Vito Coppola's love life - from 'cosy' bond with Helen Skelton to co-star fling

Strictly Come Dancing professional Vito Coppola was romantically linked to a number of women - including BBC Countryfile's Helen Skelton - before winning the gliterball with partner Ellie Leach

Strictly's Vito Coppola has a colourful love life - rumours about Helen Skelton, a relationship with a co-star and, last year, a rumoured romance with his dance partner, Ellie Leach. The gifted 32 year old dancer, born in Naples, Italy, caused a stir when he was partnered with Coronation Street actress Ellie, 23, reports OK!. The duo clinched the coveted Glitterball trophy at the series' conclusion. Vito has also been linked to Countryfile presenter Helen Skelton, with whom he allegedly "bonded" on the Strictly tour bus.

Reports suggested that the pair appeared 'cosy' together. And Vito – who joined Strictly Come Dancing in 2022 after appearing on the Italian version of the show – also had a brief romance with a co-star. So here's what we know about his current love life and relationship status...

'Bonding' with Helen Skelton

Mother-of-three Helen and Vito "bonded" after spending time together on the Strictly show tour bus as they travelled between UK cities, the Mirror reported. Helen found herself suddenly single after her husband Richie Myler ended their seven-year marriage shortly after the birth of their third child, Elsie.

A source revealed the Blue Peter star's 'fondness' for Vito, saying: "Helen and Vito were good friends during Strictly, but really bonded on tour. They spent a lot of time chatting on the quiet bus and getting to know each other. They have a lot in common a love of the outdoors, for example.

"Between shows they also spent time together one-on-one, like going for coffee, just the two of them. Then, if the whole group went for dinner, they would sit together, deep in conversation." However, it seems the pair wanted to keep their closeness under wraps as the source added: "If anyone pulled out a phone and started filming, Helen would move away from Vito. She didn't want to be captured in the background."

Helen stayed tight-lipped about the rumours, telling her Radio 5 colleague to "put the papers down, thank you" after he spotted The Mirror's front page story about the pair. However, while Helen was said to have enjoyed striking up a new bond, it wasn't Vito's first rodeo when it comes to falling victim to the so-called Strictly curse, as he also struck up a relationship on the Italian dance competition series, Ballando con le Stelle...

Italian Strictly co-star romance

In 2021, Vito was rumoured to have grown close to his celebrity dance partner Arisa - an Italian singer, born Rosalba Pippa. They confirmed they were dating after the show ended and were together for a year.

However, Italian reports suggest they split after hitting a "rocky patch". Vito confirmed their breakup - which was said to be on "good terms" - to a local outlet. He said: "We have remained on good terms, but ours is only a friendly one. We are not a couple, we are not talking about coexistence: today we are not together."

Arisa appeared to hint at her split with the dancer prior to the release of her 2022 single, Tu Mi Perdicion. Under an Instagram post, she shared: "My heart went through a very hard time for the first time in my life, I shed many tears and fought with the obsession of an idea that stole my smile for months. A circular thought, made up of sleepless nights, as if I had a strange fever that took away my hunger and desire for anything."

She added, "I'm better now. I understood that I had never felt true love before and I discovered that I was able to give so much. I don't care about the outcome. I'm proud of myself and would do it again a thousand times."

In the past, Arisa has been candid about her previous relationship with Vito. During a conversation with Italian news outlet Corriere della Sera, she admitted to still being 'in love' with him, though she didn't mention his name. "I'm in love," she confessed. "But that's the problem, that we're not together. And not being together at a distance is very difficult. He wants to lead his life and would like me to be there without being intrusive. But I'm not one for strategies, the one who doesn't text you or lets it ring empty... Life is short."

Sizzling chemistry with Ellie

Strictly stars Ellie and Vito were the talk of the town with rumours of a romance since the show began last year, especially after Amanda Abbington described them as a "beautiful couple" recently. The speculation peaked when Vito sweetly referred to Ellie as "my baby" in a heartfelt Instagram post accompanied by two kisses on the cheek following their advancement on the show.

Ellie, who reportedly ended things with her former beau in May 2023 amid infidelity rumours, appears quite taken with Vito, even telling Closer magazine that he had become "part of her family" and expressing her fondness for how much he enjoys her mum's cooking. However, both have consistently batted away any suggestion of a love link, insisting they're only great pals.

First love and dating

Vito won Celebrity MasterChef back in September, beating 19 other stars to the crown, fighting off stiff competition from This Morning presenter Craig Doyle and actress Rochenda Sandall. Speaking to OK! about cooking at home, Vito talked about 'date nights', saying: "Sometimes I treat myself. I like to prepare nicely, even though it's just myself, with a bit of decoration and food, and I light a candle and I say to myself, 'OK, I'm grateful for this, I'm grateful for this life, I'm grateful for this food.' I think of my family, because food always brings me to my family. I just feel very, very happy and grateful, actually. So sometimes I have a date with myself."

He also opened up on his 'first love', explaining to us: "I love dancing, and it's my passion, but food is my first love. I always say food feeds the world it connects people, reunites people and keeps people together. Before even starting to dance I've been eating, and trust me, I've been eating a lot!"