Strictly's Vito Coppola prepared special dish as 'pick me up' for his celeb partner

The pro dancer has also made it to the final few on Celebrity MasterChef

Strictly Come Dancing 2024,14-09-2024,Generics,Generics,Sarah Hadland and Vito Coppola,**EMBARGOED FOR PUBLICATION UNTIL 21:00 HRS ON SATURDAY 14TH SEPTEMBER 2024**,BBC Public Service,Ray Burmiston
Sarah Hadland and Vito Coppola are paired up on Strictly. (BBC)

Strictly pro Vito Coppola has revealed he put his Celebrity MasterChef skills to good use by making a special dessert for his celebrity dance partner Sarah Hadland.

The Italian dancer is paired with actor Hadland on the new series of the BBC ballroom dancing competition and training is well under way after last weekend's launch show. At the same time, Coppola has made it to the last four on the cooking programme, so he decided to use his newfound skills to whip up a tiramisu for Hadland.

Appearing on The One Show on Thursday (19 September), he said he picked the creamy dessert because in Italian, the word tiramisu means "pick me up".

Coppola was on the BBC show to discuss Celebrity MasterChef and host Roman Kemp asked whether the dancer had treated Hadland to a taste of his food yet.

"Oh yes!" he exclaimed. "I did my tiramisu."

He went on: "Because tiramisu means pick me up in Italian, so I really wanted to pick her up, like, high energy, have a good day, positivity - what better than tiramisu? And that's why our team name is now tiramisu!"

Celebrity MasterChef S19,03-09-2024,Heats - Episode 10,Heats - Episode 10,Vito Coppola,**STRICTLY EMBARGOED NOT FOR PUBLICATION UNTIL TUESDAY 27TH AUGUST 2024**,Shine TV,Production
Vito Coppola is in the final four on Celebrity MasterChef. (BBC)

Coppola was on The One Show sofa with the other remaining Celebrity MasterChef contestants - This Morning's Craig Doyle, Gladiators star Harry Aikines-Aryeetey and actor Rochenda Sandall.

All four opened up about their experience cooking under the watchful eyes of judges Gregg Wallace and John Torode, and Coppola admitted he had found it emotional.

"I've cried so many times on MasterChef, usually I don't cry so many times, do you know what I mean?" he said.

"All of a sudden I became smooth, like a marshmallow," Coppola quipped, as everybody else laughed.

Coppola has already had his hands on Strictly's coveted Glitterball trophy, as he won last year's series with his celebrity partner Ellie Leach. Many fans are hoping that he can do the same on Celebrity MasterChef and make it all the way to the end.

Lots of people want Vito Coppola to win Celebrity MasterChef. (BBC screengrab)
Lots of people want Vito Coppola to win Celebrity MasterChef. (BBC screengrab)

"I hope @Vito__Coppola wins," one person posted on X, adding that they wanted his recipe for chocolate and pistachio cake.

"I’ve fallen in love with Vito, he’s absolutely adorable," another said. "I want them all to win and that’s not like me at all." "I hope Vito wins," said someone else, adding a hearts in eyes emoji to their comment.