Ellie Leach issued a tribute to Vito Coppola as she reflected on her Strictly Come Dancing tour experience. The former Coronation Street star lifted the glitterball with the Italian dancer in the the 2023 series.
The two went out on the road together for the subsequent live tour, which arrived at the M&S Bank Arena in January 2024. The 2025 edition of the tour has started this month and Ellie took to Instagram to look back on one of her tour highlights.
In the hilarious clip, Ellie takes a tumble on the stage, but styles it out by ending up sitting on the stairs. Vito quickly rushes over to check she is OK before they continue on with their routine.
Ellie captioned the clip: “In light of the Strictly live tour having started this week I would like to take a moment of silence while we remember that this actually happened to me and to this day I am still traumatised by it thank you. Vito always there to save me. The best time ever.”
Vito will embark on a tour across the country once again for the 2025 live show with his partner Sarah Hadland. However, he has to pull out the first shows in Birmingham while he recovers from a back injury.
On This Morning, he said: “I have a little injury. We are used to having a little bit of pain in the body, but I’m battling some lower back pain at the moment.”
Fellow professional Nikita Kuzmin has stepped in for Vito for the first dates of the tour. Miranda star Sarah shared snaps alongside her new partner ahead of the first show at the Utilita Arena.
She said: “IT’S ONLY THE FIRST NIGHT OF THE TOUR @strictlycomedancinglive dancing with @nikita__kuzmin while my @vitocoppola recovers. Thank you @nikita__kuzmin for taking care of me @vitocoppola I miss you and [heart emoji] you.”
Vito took to the comments to send his co-stars a message of support after the update. He said: “Guuuuuuuuysssss omg you look both so fresh. The best of luck. Have the best first show. Love youuuuuuuu.”
Sarah’s first night of the tour couldn’t have went any better as she has revealed she won the glitterball with Nikita on Friday night. She said: “We only went and won! Best first night with @nikita__kuzmin @strictlycomedancinglive in @utilitaarenabirmingham thank you for an amazing first night – we love you Birmingham.”
Sarah narrowly missed out on the glitterball in the latest season of the show when Chris McCausland lifted the prize with Dianne Buswell. Scouse comic Chris is unable to compete on the tour this season due to his stand up touring commitments and Sarah in an interview ahead of the tour she dreamed of winning the prize on the tour.
She said: “If I could just get my hands on it, that would be amazing. I had such a great time on the show. I’d danced in musical theatre before but I tend to throw myself about, whereas with Latin and ballroom it’s all about the detail. I’ve got a whole new appreciation for it now.”
Vito is excited for his co-star to experience the tour and is looking forward to returning to the stage. He said: “At the beginning of the week Sarah was like ‘I’m not going to do that’, then she’d go home, sleep on it and the next day she could do it.
“I haven’t told her too much about the arena tour because I don’t want to spoil the surprise, but the reaction from the crowd is incredible. Doing Strictly on TV is the cake and the tour is the icing on top of it.”
The tour is set to come to the M&S Bank Arena on January 28 and 29. Vito will be hoping to have made a full recovery when he will hopefully be able to reprise his partnership with the Miranda star.