Ellie Leach made the nicest revelation, leaving Strictly Come Dancing expert Vito Coppola dumbfounded.
With their passionate gestures and charming pronouncements, the former Coronation Street actress, 22, and Italian dance star, 31, have sparked relationship suspicions in recent weeks.
Vito has kissed Ellie on the lips several times, and they are always throwing their arms around one another, whether in interviews or on public trips.
So it’s no surprise that Ellie had nothing but kind words for Vito as she reflected on her Strictly experience.
The declaration, on the other hand, surprised Vito, who fell into tears and, unexpectedly, didn’t know what to reply.
Ellie was asked what she wanted to say to her partner after making it to the finals thanks to the public vote, along with Layton Williams and Nikita Kuzmin.
‘Thank you so much for being the best partner, the best friend, always making me laugh, always picking me up when I feel down, always pushing me to put all that hard work in,’ she told Vito.
‘Without you, I couldn’t have done this experience at all.’
‘You have changed my life,’ Ellie added with a smile.
The pro soon drew her into an embrace and kissed her twice on the cheek.
‘Vito, ladies and gentlemen, is now lost for words, hold that,’ presenter Claudia joked, given how the much-loved Strictly star is often rambling at a million miles per hour.
‘You ok, baby?’, she asked sweetly.
‘No, yes,’ Vito replied with his thumb up, causing Ellie to giggle.
Ellie and Vito making me cryyy, the cutest! #Strictly
— L 💫 ♊️ (@TVMusings22) December 10, 2023
Vito and Ellie making me well up #Strictly
— Kathleen A Save the NHS🙈🙉🙊💙 (@karmatarabuddha) December 10, 2023
ellie & vito's reaction was everything, they are so deserving of a place in that final 🥹😭✨ #Strictly
— emily 🪩 (@mebecauseofgu) December 10, 2023
Vito said that he is ‘over the moon’ to have made the Strictly 2023 final, as well as Bobby Brazier and Dianne Buswell, who were saved in the dance-off.
‘I’m just so happy!’, he exclaimed.
Ellie and Vito have claimed that their relationship is completely platonic, with Ellie being questioned when Vito kissed her on the cheek following their judges’ remarks on their paso doble.
‘It was only a kiss on the cheek. He gives me a kiss on the cheek every Saturday! It was definitely on the cheek,’ she told OK!.
‘We really, really get along and we have a lovely friendship. I hope we can continue that.’
She added: ‘We’ve got a really good relationship where we kind of know what the other needs. Vito even lets me have power naps during training.’
While most Strictly fans are completely infatuated with their collaboration, the Ellie and Vito romance allegations have not persuaded everyone.
In fact, others feel the pair is ‘faking’ it in order to gain more votes.
It has been claimed that their lovey-dovey behaviour is ‘all for show’, with a source saying: ‘Vito is an experienced pro, and knows what he’s doing.’
‘He and Ellie had an instant friendship and a great connection, but it definitely wasn’t sexual.
‘However, once viewers picked up on their connection, Vito especially was keen to let people jump to their own conclusions,’ they added when speaking to The Sun.
The insider also said: ‘By letting people think they’re together, the hope is they’ll further endear themselves to the nation.
‘A few others on the show think it’s a bit cynical but they genuinely are having a lot of fun together.’
Ellie and Vito will perform three final dances in next weekend’s final, competing against West End star Layton and EastEnders actor Bobby for the glitterball trophy.
The Strictly Come Dancing 2023 final airs Saturday on BBC One and iPlayer.
