Helen Skelton appears to have found some new pals while on the road with the Strictly Come Dancing tour – some more than others.
According to reports, the TV host grew quite friends with professional dancer Vito Coppola, and the two relished time alone together away from the rest of the company.
According to sources, the two ‘connected’ after spending time getting to know each other better on the show tour bus as it travelled around the cities of the United Kingdom.
Last year, the 39-year-old mother of three competed in the final alongside her dance partner Gorka Marquez.
She has been on her own after splitting up with her rugby player spouse Richie Myler, 32, months before she began work on the BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing 2022 season.
Her sudden friendship with Fleur East‘s former dancing partner Vito is believed to be catching the attention of others on the tour.
A source told The Mirror: ‘Helen and Vito were good friends during Strictly, but really bonded on tour.
‘There were two buses for the cast – the party bus and the quiet bus.
‘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.’
Despite garnering attention, it appeared the couple intended to keep their burgeoning romance to themselves.
‘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,’ the insider added.
The star’s eight-year marriage to Leeds Rhinos scrum-half Richie ended last year, not long after the couple had their third child, Elsie.
Helen’s ex-husband subsequently began a new relationship with Stephanie Thirkhill, 32, with whom he is currently expecting a child.
Vito, who joined the ballroom competition programme last year, instantly wowed in jaw-dropping dances with fellow dancer and pro Nadiya Bychkova.
Strictly Come Dancing is available to stream on BBC iPlayer.