Ellie Leach pens gorgeous message about Vito Coppola during surprise reunion

Ellie Leach and Vito Coppola lifted the Glitterball Trophy in last year's Strictly Come Dancing, but during their time together, the pair courted plenty of romance rumours.

The duo's chemistry cemented them as fan favourites, but they dashed hopes about a possible romance, clarifying that they were only friends. The actress and dancer have remained close following their stint on the show and on Saturday the pair reunited and as they posed for a selfie, Ellie shared the sweetest message for her former dance partner.

"Spending time with people who are good for your soul," the 23-year-old quipped. "Love you @vitocoppola." The photo saw the duo smiling together, with Vito in a tight white t-shirt and Ellie modelling a striped ensemble.

Several fans in the comments shared their hopes that the pair would one day be an item, while others simply commented that the duo looked surprisingly alike.

Clarifying their relationship in March following the conclusion of the Strictly Tour, Ellie shared a black-and-white photo of the dancer and wrote: "Love this man dearly. Men and women can be friends and can love each other AS FRIENDS… just sayin' x. @vitocoppola you have the cutest face."

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Vito has previously dated Italian popstar Arisa, who he won the 16th series of Ballando con le Stelle, the Italian version of Strictly, with. The couple parted ways in 2022 before he moved to the United Kingdom with the pair ending their relationship after reportedly hitting a "rocky patch".

Vito told Italian publication Mio that they remained on "good terms" and still had a "friendly bond" following their split.

The Strictly champs, however, clearly have the strongest bond and they even got matching tattoos to cement their friendship, with Ellie and Vito going for a matching aubergine and bumblebee.

Strictly is famous for the so-called 'Strictly Curse' that sees couples getting together on the show or splitting from their current partners. Previous 'victims' of the curse include Louise Redknapp, who split with Jamie Redknapp following her time on the show and Neil and Katya Jones.

Some have refuted the idea of a 'Strictly Curse' due to finding love, with champions Stacey Dooley and Kevin Clifton becoming an item after their time on the show, welcoming a baby daughter.

Dianne Buswell also found love with her dance partner Joe Sugg, and previously reflected how the show was responsible for their love. On International Dance Day in 2023, the dancer noted: "Mad to think that without dance I may not have met you."