Celebrity Masterchef's Vito Coppola's relationship status as he opens up about cooking 'date nights' before the show
He's got the moves, the muscles, and he's such a talented cook he's in tonight's Masterchef semi-finals, but for Strictly Come Dancing champ Vito Coppola, romance is currently off the menu. The hunky Italian dancer, who clinched the Glitterball Trophy with soap star Ellie Leach last year, has quashed rumours of a relationship with the Coronation Street actress, insisting he's single as he waits to find out the identity of his next celebrity dance partner.
The star, 31, explained: "At the moment, I am, as Lady Gaga says, in love with my art, with my passion, with my job. I'm very lucky with my career. So at the moment, it's just me, myself and I." However, lack of a love interest doesn't mean that Vito isn't indulging in some romantic dinners for one. When he's not dazzling us with his footwork in the UK and missing his homeland, Italy, Vito loves to play chef in the evening, setting the mood with candles and reflecting on the positives in his life.
"Sometimes I treat myself," Vito said. "I like to prepare nicely, even though it's just myself, with a bit of decoration and food, and I light a candle and I say to myself, 'OK, I'm grateful for this, I'm grateful for this life, I'm grateful for this food.' I think of my family, because food always brings me to my family. I just feel very, very happy and grateful, actually. So sometimes I have a date with myself."
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Being single allows Vito to pour his energy into his career, and he has spiced things up in the Celebrity MasterChef kitchen where the star's proved he's got his nonna's knack for pasta.
"I love dancing, and it's my passion, but food is my first love," Vito said. "I always say food feeds the world it connects people, reunites people and keeps people together. Before even starting to dance I've been eating, and trust me, I've been eating a lot!"
Celebrity MasterChef is known for challenging celebs, but Vito's pro dance partner Dianne Buswell was all for him joining the show and didn't hold back on the advice. Sharing that they have a range of affectionate nicknames for each other like "Gorgie", "Gorgelina", or "Gorgeous", Vito shared, "Dianne was the one who, since the very beginning, said, 'Gorgie, you just have to be yourself and if you're always true to yourself everyone will really appreciate the way you are.'"
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Strictly stars turned Celebrity MasterChef contestants Oti Mabuse, Johannes Radebe and Katya Jones echoed Dianne's sentiments, assuring him that bringing his fiery dance floor energy to the kitchen would surely win over judges Gregg Wallace and John Torode.
Vito Coppola confessed: "They all said, 'Vito, you know all the extra excitement you put when you are dancing, that super passion? Just be the same.' I mean, I don't know any other way to be, honestly. I'm just like this. I wouldn't change if I could."
Following criticism from Craig Revel Horwood, Shirley Ballas, Motsi Mabuse and Anton Du Beke, Vito was not intimidated by Gregg and John. "I'm always smiling, but you can see the drops of sweat," Vito admitted. "I love constructive criticism. I always say, 'Please give me feedback so I'm able to work on it, and improve more.'".
Vito is a whirlwind of non-stop energy. It's infectious, but he worries that sometimes people can be a bit overwhelmed by his instant affection for them. And he's even more exuberant under pressure. "I'm always an extra, over super-excited person," said Vito.
"Everyone knows that. I try to sometimes make it a bit less but of course it's challenging, when you feel under pressure. I have this adrenaline that brings me even more excitement."
Sugababes singer Mutya Buena, Traitors star Diane Carson, BBC Radio 2 presenter OJ Borg and makeup artist Dominic Skinner are all taking part in Vito's Celebrity MasterChef heat and Vito says he's made friends for life. He's warned his co-stars that he'll never stop texting and ringing them to catch up, even when the competition is long over.
"I clicked straight away with everyone but I try not to be too much," Vito chuckled. "When I meet someone for the first time, I jump and I hug them and sometimes people are like, 'OK, OK, OK, just give me space.' But we had a beautiful time. It's a competition, but also it's a chance to meet other people and to get along with each other. These people will stay in my life forever."
Our heart-to-heart happens during a down moment from rehearsals for Strictly's latest series. The show has been wrapped in drama following Amanda Abbington's allegations against Giovanni Pernice describing him as "unnecessary, abusive, cruel and mean" - claims he outright denies.
Adding fuel to the fire, Vito's pal Graziano Di Prima found himself chopped for "gross misconduct" based on supposed events with his 2023 celeb partner Zara McDermott.
Graziano said sorry but went on record saying, "I didn't deliberately hurt anyone. I am not a monster. I am not an abusive man," mentioning how the episode took its toll on his mental health, leading to some really "ugly thoughts".
Coming up in the competitive Italian dance scene alongside Graziano, Vito considers him almost a brother. Even with the scandal causing waves, Vito stands firmly by his pal.
"I love Graziano," Vito said. "I've known him since years ago, when we were competing. I love him and I will love him forever."
The Strictly Come Dancing scandal has certainly put the cast through their paces, but Vito Coppola is buzzing with excitement for the show's 20th anniversary series. He's choosing to focus on the positives, like reuniting with his friend Amy Dowden who's triumphantly returning after her battle with breast cancer, and working alongside Aljaž Škorjanec, who's making a comeback following his exit last year.
Despite the recent drama, Vito remains optimistic about the upcoming series, which will see stars such as Tasha Ghouri, Nick Knowles, and Toyah Willcox take to the dance floor, confident it will "bring sparkle into people's houses" once more.
"It's like a family," Vito says with a beaming smile. "We always want to look at the positive, beautiful things. This year is Strictly's 20th anniversary, and it's going to be a special year. Amy is back, and will bring us so much joy, words cannot express. And then there's Aljaž it's a nice opportunity to get to work side by side. There is so much love, we are just enjoying every moment, every day of this rehearsal. This is just the beginning."