12 November 2023 , 14:05
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Strictly Come Dancing star Ellie Leach says she has "lost a lot of weight" thanks to her professional dance partner Vito Coppola's intense training regime for the show.
The 22-year old Coronation Street actress scored an impressive 35 for the pair's Rumba on Saturday night, landing them second place on the week eight leaderboard behind Layton Williams and Nikita Kumzin. Ellie and Vito, who are rumoured to be in a relationship away from the dancefloor too, train for nine hours a day, six days a week.
Now, Ellie has revealed the fruits of her labour after confessing physical exercise or going to the gym has never been of interest. "I've lost a lot of weight," she enthused. "You're training so much."
Ellie and her professional dance partner, Vito Coppola, are rumoured to be in a relationship away from the show (PA)Ellie continued to OK! Magazine: "I still need to work on my fitness levels but even the dance we're doing this week, I wouldn't have been able to do three weeks ago. My body and my mindset are changing so much each day. I don't know how much weight I've lost but I can feel myself getting stronger, which I think is great."
It comes after Vito, 31, appeared to confirm their romance in an Instagram post last week. Sharing a black and white snap of himself flexing his muscles, the Italian hunk wrote: "Just finished another day of rehearsal! Well done to my baby @ellielouiseleach."
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Ellie later broke her silence amid the rumours, meanwhile, confessing that the muscles in her cheeks are the ones that receive the biggest workout – from smiling so much. She gushed: "Every day we have so much fun and I go home and I'm like, 'Oh my cheeks!' We’re just having such a good time. It’s a roller coaster, but everything is just amazing. Everything is 100% heightened."
Before Strictly brought its upbeat razzle-dazzle into her heart, Ellie was struggling. Her five-year relationship with boyfriend Reagan Pettman hit the rocks over cheating allegations, and at the same time she was written out of Corrie. Ellie joined the soap aged just 10, tackled huge storylines and spent more than half her life playing teen mum Faye Windass.
Her co-stars rallied round and showered her with gifts when she left the cobbles, but inside Ellie was devastated. When she arrived on Strictly, Ellie had never danced before and was terrified by the idea of performing live.
But having Vito as her champion undoubtedly helps. He hugs her constantly and insists they make training fun. He has inspired her to enjoy life and to push herself beyond her comfort zone. "Every single day he says to me, 'I believe in you… You can do this… I know you can… Just believe in yourself'," Ellie added.