BBC Strictly Come Dancing's Vito Coppola's love life from 'bond' with Helen Skelton to ex's 'sleepless nights'

Strictly's Vito Coppola has been making headlines with his vibrant romantic connections - from whispers of a spark with Helen Skelton to a past fling with a fellow star. Last year, buzz around a possible romance with his dance partner Ellie Leach.

The talented 32 year old Naples-born dancer grabbed attention when paired with 23 year old Coronation Street star Ellie. The pair danced their way to victory, securing the Glitterball trophy at the end of the series.

Vito, who made his Strictly Come Dancing debut in 2022 after his stint on the Italian version, was also rumoured to have grown close to Countryfile host Helen Skelton during the show's tour. Gossip hinted that the duo seemed 'cosy' together.

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And Vito who graced the Strictly stage for the first time in 2022 following his success in Italy had previously enjoyed a short-lived romance with a co-star. Here's the lowdown on what's known about his current romantic endeavours and relationship status, reports the Mirror.

'Bonding' with Helen Skelton

Mother-of-three Helen and Vito reportedly "bonded" while spending time together on the Strictly tour bus, journeying across UK cities. Following the abrupt end of her seven-year marriage to Richie Myler, which concluded shortly after the birth of their third child, Elsie, Helen was back on the singles scene.

An insider disclosed Helen's 'fondness' for Vito, stating: "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 performances, they found time for one-on-one catch-ups, like grabbing a coffee together, just the two of them. And when dining out with the group, they'd be engrossed in their own world, sitting together and chatting away.

But it appears they were keen to keep things discreet, as a source revealed: "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."

Despite the swirling rumours, Helen kept her lips sealed, brushing off her Radio 5 colleague's comment with a quick "put the papers down, thank you" after he noticed The Mirror's front-page scoop about her and Vito. While Helen reportedly relished the new connection, this wasn't Vito's first experience with the so-called Strictly curse.

He previously found love on Italy's version of the dance show, Ballando con le Stelle....

Italian Strictly co-star romance

Back in 2021, Vito was linked to his celebrity dance partner Arisa - the Italian singer whose real name is Rosalba Pippa. Post-show, they went public with their relationship, which lasted a year.

However, according to Italian media, they parted ways after going through a "rocky patch". Vito opened up about their amicable split to a local news outlet, stating: "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."

Prior to unveiling her 2022 single, Tu Mi Perdicion, Arisa subtly hinted at her breakup with the dancer. On Instagram, she confided: "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 continued by sharing her current state of mind: "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."

Arisa has not shied away from discussing her past liaison with Vito. During an interview with Corriere della Sera, the Italian publication, she acknowledged still feeling love for him, without using his name directly: "I'm in love," she disclosed.

"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 sensations Ellie and Vito had stirred up whispers of a budding romance ever since the show kicked off last year, with Amanda Abbington even calling them a "beautiful couple" recently. The rumour mill went into overdrive when Vito affectionately called Ellie "my baby" in an endearing Instagram post, sealing it with a duo of pecks on the cheek after they progressed in the competition.

Ellie, who is said to have split from her previous partner in May 2023 following whispers of unfaithfulness, seems quite smitten with Vito, having told Closer magazine he's now "part of her family" and sharing how much she appreciates his love for her mum's culinary skills. Yet, despite the mounting speculation, both have firmly dismissed any talk of a romantic connection, maintaining they're just good friends.

First love and dating

Vito clinched the title of Celebrity MasterChef in September, outcooking 19 other celebrities, including This Morning's Craig Doyle and actress Rochenda Sandall. Chatting with OK! about his home cooking habits, Vito mused about 'date nights' with himself: "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 divulged details about his 'first love', telling us with a chuckle: "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! ".