Strictly Come Dancing's Vick Hope shuts down Graziano Di Prima romance rumours

Strictly Come Dancing star Vick Hope has dispelled romance rumours with partner Graziano Di Prima, although she says she can see why “it comes across that way”.

The Capital DJ was paired with Di Prima, the only new professional to have a celebrity partner, during the launch show earlier this month before making their dance floor debut last weekend.

Rumours about the nature of their relationship have already started swirling but Hope was keen to set the record straight on Wednesday’s This Morning.

Speaking to Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby, Hope said: “We get on really well. He’s got a girlfriend. [Yeah] I’m single.

“It’s weird though, isn’t it? There’s no person that I’ve ever spent as much time with in my life as I do with Graz. Even boyfriends. Even boyfriends I never spent that much time with.

“And I can understand why you have this relationship – it’s so different from any that you’re used to. It’s intense. You’re touching each other all the time, you’re sweating together, you can understand why that comes across like that.”

Hope, 29, added that the pair were “getting on well” and that “it is part of the appeal of the show that there’s that romantic undertone”.

Di Prima explained that his girlfriend of three years Giada Lini, who will feature in some routines this year, has been tagging along to rehearsals.

The Italian dance champion said: “She’s doing some numbers with us.

“It’s really good she sees where I’m working and she shares the same feeling as me.”

Hope and Di Prima will be hoping to bounce back from their low-scoring jive, for which they scored 18, with a Waltz to Somewhere from West Side Story.

This Morning airs weekdays from 10.30am on ITV. Strictly Come Dancing continues on Saturday at 6.30pm on BBC One.