Strictly Come Dancing's Vito Coppola warned about 'curse' as BBC star predicts major setback

Vito Coppola has been warned about a 'potential' Strictly Come Dancing curse that could land him and partner Sarah Hadland in trouble ahead of this week's live show.

Vito joined Strictly as a pro dancer in 2022, with him reaching the final of the BBC programme alongside Fleur East, after the couple got some very high scores from the judges, for routines like their Destiny's Child themed Couple's Choice. Sadly for Vito and Fleur, their Strictly story didn't end with a victory, as the Glitterball that year was won by Hamza Yassin and Jowita Przystal.

However, things did work out very well for Vito last year when he got his hands on the trophy, with ex Coronation Street star Ellie Leach, thanks to the pair, despite being the lowest scorers in the 2023 final, topping the public vote when it mattered most. And he is now being backed to do rather well with current celebrity partner, Sarah Hadland, as they continue to get fantastic marks and strengthen their position as second favourite with the bookies, behind longstanding frontrunners Chris McCausland and Dianne Buswell.

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This week Vito and Sarah will dance a rumba to Tina Arena's 90s smash Chains and, while plenty of Strictly viewers are predicting great things from the number, it's actually Fleur, who now hosts spin-off It Takes Two, who has warned Vito the dance could land him and Sarah in trouble.

Interviewing her former pro partner on the show, she remarked: "‘I’m starting to see some parallels here because Vito, you and I did our Couple’s Choice in Blackpool. The following week, we did a Rumba – and then we ended up in the bottom two. So how much are you hoping history doesn’t repeat itself?"

Appearing unfazed by Fleur's observation, Vito replied: "Let's be positive. ‘If we do get into the bottom two, it will be part of the story and it will mean we get to dance the Rumba twice," as Sarah, sitting alongside him in the BBC studio, chimed in: "But you made it all the way to the final. So if I follow your trajectory, there’s hope."