Dressed in an exquisite feather gown, she looked every bit the elegant ballroom diva.
In fact, watching Ellie Leach’s steamy performance on American Smooth last week, it was all too easy to see why her Strictly pro dance partner, Vito Coppola, had apparently fallen so hard for the pretty 22-year-old.
Seductively sexy and with the lightest of feet, Ellie had the Italian dancer – not to mention the judges, who gave the pair a near-perfect score of 39 out of 40 – eating out of her hand.
So it was hardly surprising that this week Vito decided to caption a seductive black and white photo of himself on Instagram in which he affectionately referred to the former soap actress as his “baby” and seemingly outed the pair as a couple.
Their gentle on-screen chemistry has been providing clues to their budding romance for some time now. And as the show reaches the halfway point, the pair have become the new favorites to win the glitterball trophy. Everyone seems to fall in love with Ellie.
But few fans will know that behind her confident Strictly performances lies double heartache. Just a few months ago, the spirited brunette was at her lowest point and had written off the year 2023 as her “annus horribilis”.
Dressed in an exquisite feather gown, she looked every bit the elegant ballroom diva
Friends say she was left “broken” in April after being sacked by her bosses from Coronation Street. Ellie was devastated to lose the role of gymslip mother Faye Windass – a role she had played for 12 years and was cast in when she was just nine. Sources say it was completely “unexpected.”
A month later, another blow came: Ellie was distraught when she found out that her boyfriend of five years, model Reagan Pettman, had cheated on her. Their relationship promptly ended.
A friend said: “It destroyed Ellie.” It was a terrible time for her. She saw no way out. She had lost everything she loved.’
The call from Strictly Bosses in the spring gave her a new focus. She immediately seized the opportunity and made the conscious decision to go for it. She vowed to have “the time of her life.”
A friend says: “When she got the call she knew she had to do it.” Her whole life had changed in a matter of weeks, she had lost both of the loves of her life. Then the chance arose to dance one’s way out of the grief. “The thought of wearing glamorous dresses and learning a new skill excited her.”
Her composure in the Strictly studio is extraordinary considering she has no dance background at all.
Although she’s determined to make the most of her experience, friends say she wants to win “quietly.”
So far the leaderboard has been on their side; In the week before last she scored 38 points, the week before that she scored 37 for a particularly hot Paso Doble.
Speaking about her contract on Strictly herself, Ellie candidly said: “It was annoying to be cheated on, but now is the perfect time to give my best to Strictly and give it 500 per cent.”
A lost job and an unfaithful boyfriend would be hard for anyone to cope with – but friends say Ellie is particularly gentle-hearted.
Still living at home with her parents and sister Daisy in Bury, Greater Manchester, she grew up in a loving working-class household. She attended Fairfield High School for Girls, an outstanding school known for its traditional ethos, and was raised putting family first.
Although she admitted that she sometimes struggled with the attention she received for her soap career, she credits her family with helping her stay grounded. Unlike other ambitious stars who use their social media accounts for extensive brand partnerships, Ellie prefers to post cozy pictures and videos of herself with her family.
Friends say she was left “broken” in April after being sacked by her bosses from Coronation Street. Pictured: With ex Reagan Pettman
A sweet video shows her at a Coldplay concert with her father with his arm around her. Ellie wrote: “Hearing this live with my family was a dream come true.”
Another picture shows Ellie and Daisy cuddling on the sofa on Christmas Day, with their mother Karen in between. The smiling trio are all wearing strawberry-patterned pajamas.
Ellie says: “I think growing up in Corrie and the job I’ve been doing and working with adults since I was a teenager has helped me turn my head.” Mum and Dad kept me grounded . I wouldn’t have it any other way. I always had that leadership.’
Described as “the least bright” star you could ever meet, Ellie has no training at any theater school. Her big break came when she won her role in Coronation Street with a little help from cousin Brooke Vincent, who plays Sophie Webster in the soap. They are very close and Ellie is godmother to one of Brooke’s children.
Despite her lack of formal acting experience, young Ellie intrigued the soap’s casting directors when she auditioned for the role of Faye, a young girl to be raised by the Windass family.
However, Ellie’s natural drive in this role should be kept top secret: her character of Faye became known as one of the most pathetic in the soap. Pregnant at 12 – the youngest character to ever have a child – she later gave up her child, was sexually abused and then imprisoned.
But despite the darkness of her storylines, Ellie loved her role and once said she hoped to stay on Coronation Street “forever”, adding: “It’s a great job and I love being there.”
Luckily, Strictly stepped into the gap left by Coronation Street. And as one of the lesser-known celebrities in the competition, Ellie and Vito spent the first few weeks strictly in the background while bigger stars dominated the headlines. But quietly, away from the eyes of onlookers, a bond began to grow between the two.
Currently, neither Ellie nor 31-year-old Vito have officially commented on a budding romance. However, it should be noted that the relationship with his co-star is a path that the Italian Latin master has taken before.
In 2021, Vito won the Italian version of Strictly with pop star Arisa. They became closer during the show and started dating after winning the glitterball trophy. Although their romance ended shortly before his move to Britain, Vito says they remained friends.
In fact, watching Ellie Leach’s steamy performance on American Smooth last week, it was all too easy to see why her Strictly pro dance partner Vito Coppola was apparently so in love with the pretty 22-year-old
Described as “the least bright” star you could ever meet, Ellie has no training at any theater school. Pictured: Ellie as a child in Coronation Street
Ellie’s fans hope their romance has a happier future. The prospects look good. For weeks, Vito has made no secret of his affection for Ellie, expressing his adoration for her on social media, along with his cute nickname for her: Lulu.
He wrote on Instagram: “My Lulu. . . I’m so proud of you . . . How much I believe in you, so just keep going and keep working hard like you already do every day. You’re doing great, baby. We’ll see you tomorrow for another great day together.’
Ellie replied: “This man surprises me EVERY DAY.” You are a special person, thank you very much! Love you love you love you.’
They are firmly connected to each other at public events. They were described as “tactile” after a charity event at the Grosvenor Hotel in Mayfair a few weeks ago and were later seen in the same taxi. As they left, Vito gave another hint of their romance as he formed a heart with his hands while Ellie giggled.
And just a few days ago, Amanda Abbington, the Sherlock actress who left the show last month for health reasons, appeared to confirm that they were a couple by posting that they were “the most beautiful couple,” followed by a row of love hearts.
Now that Ellie is becoming one of Strictly’s most popular stars, ITV bosses – and her ex-boyfriend too – are likely to be watching and wondering if they’ve made the wrong move. But will she look back?
“Absolutely not,” says a friend. “For Ellie, she’s focused on the most brilliant thing that’s ever happened to her.”
Tonight she’ll dance a rumba to Cyndi Lauper’s True Colors to finish the night at the top of the leaderboard once again.
At every step there will be memories of past bad times and what looks like a most invigorating new romance…