Ellie Leach - 'I won Strictly and it was life-changing - I message my dance partner every day'

Since she lifted the Glitterball Trophy last December with her professional partner — and now lifelong friend — Vito Coppola, Ellie Leach has returned to acting for a nationwide tour of Cluedo 2 . In what is her stage debut after winning the hearts of the nation so triumphantly on Strictly , the former soap star takes on the role of Miss Scarlett in the hilarious murder mystery, which is based on the classic board game and set in the swinging 60s.

As the bodies pile up, a cast of colourful characters, including Casualty ’s Jason Durr as Colonel Mustard, move from room to room, trying to escape the murderer and survive the night. And Ellie – known to millions as Faye Windass in Coronation Street – says of the whodunnit, “What can I say – bringing the iconic character of Miss Scarlett to life on stage is so much fun – as is seeing audience members from literally eight to 80 out there, having a really good time.”

It’s a major step away from the famous cobbles, and Ellie thanks her Strictly pal Vito for giving her the confidence to make her
big debut treading the boards. “It’s out of my comfort zone, but I’ve been enjoying it,” she smiles. The actress is now 23, but was on Corrie for 13 years since she was nine years old. “Then I went straight into Strictly after that, so this is different to what I’m used to.”

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Although Ellie has been on the road with the hit show since January, it was recently extended until November, which she’s delighted about – but it’s also a lengthy stint to be away from your loved ones. “It’s a long time to be away from home. I’m not going to say I’ve found it easy, I haven’t – because I’m a homebird. I live with my family and love being home, so it’s something I’ve struggled with.

“But when you do a theatre show you’re all in the same boat. The rest of the cast are away from their families, too, so we form a sort of tour family. You’re all going through the same thing, and if ever one of us has a problem or feels a bit down or homesick, we’re all there for each other.”

Ellie also takes a few creature comforts with her. “I have a teddy bear, Norma the rabbit. Yes, I’m 23, but she comes everywhere with me. She’s a bit dirty at the moment and needs a good wash! I also like to take a candle. Some people might think it’s weird but when I’m at home, no matter what’s going on, I light a candle and it relaxes me, so on tour it reminds me of home.”

Ellie says that Strictly proved great training for her daunting theatre role. “I came into this job thinking it was something I’d never done before. But Strictly really opened my eyes; I built my confidence there. I think everyone saw how much I grew week to week.”

She puts that down to Vito, 32. “He was an amazing teacher, and he believed in me, which I probably didn’t at the start. So when this opportunity came up, I felt excited, because I’d learnt to believe in myself more.”

Naturally, Vito was one of the first to see Ellie in Cluedo 2 . “He, Dianne [Buswell] and Joe [Sugg] came to see me at the start of the run. That’s what I loved about Strictly , everyone is supportive. When I saw them there, it was like bringing my Strictly chapter into the next chapter of my life. That was really special.”

But the book hasn’t fully closed on Strictly as Ellie returned to the dance floor with Vito when the new series started in September. The 2023 champions recreated their thrilling Paso Doble to Insomnia by Faithless. “It was honestly amazing,” she tells us. “When we danced the same dance in the final show, we thought that would be our last time — it was before we found out we’d won. So after thinking we’d danced our last dance, doing it again was amazing.”

Ellie and Vito waltzed to victory after seeing off competition from EastEnders star Bobby Brazier and Bad Education actor Layton Williams. Their American Smooth resulted in their first 40-point score of the series.

During this year’s launch episode, Ellie was seen fighting back tears in the studio as she admitted, “I didn’t expect this to have such an effect on me.” She later wrote on Instagram, “What a joy it was to step on that dance floor one last time with you Vito Coppola. You are my sunshine and I will forever cherish the memories we have made!”

Reflecting on their return, Ellie tells us, “The days after were very emotional. My time at Strictly was life-changing, and to have the bond and friendship I made with Vito was amazing. It’s the sort of friendship I’ll cherish for the rest of my life. I’m very lucky and grateful for the experience.”

Despite getting matching bee tattoos earlier this year, the pair insist they’re just good pals. “From the moment we met, we just clicked,” says Ellie. “We could laugh, we could be silly, and we could work hard at the same time. We had a great balance of working hard and having fun.”

And the friends are in regular contact. “We message every day,” she says. “We don’t always talk on the phone, but we’ll be in touch. Vito’s part of my family now, he’ll be in my life forever.” During the launch show, Vito also told host Tess Daly how close they are. “I often call her at 7am and wake her up,” he said. “She’ll never get rid of me.”

Like millions of us, Ellie has been watching Strictly to get her through the gloomy autumn months. “To get a glimpse of what’s to come this series was fun. I think it’s going to be an exciting one.”

While it might be strange for Ellie to see Vito dance with Miranda actress Sarah Hadland in this series, she’s rooting for them. “People keep asking me if it’s like watching an ex-partner with someone new, but it’s not like that at all. He’s the most amazing teacher and I’m so excited for Sarah to experience that. It’s not a comparison, either. My experience with Vito was different to Fleur East’s, and Sarah will have her own journey. I can’t wait to see what they do.”

Cluedo 2 tours the UK until 30 November. For venues and tickets, visit CluedoStagePlay.com