# Vito Coppola

Vito Coppola (born 27 September 1992) is an Italian dancer and choreographer. He is best known for appearing as a professional dancer on the 16th series of Italian dance competition Ballando con le Stelle (Dancing with the Stars) in 2021 and ultimately winning the competition with Arisa. Since 2022, he has served as a professional on Strictly Come Dancing, the British version of the show, from the 20th series onwards, winning in 2023 with his celebrity dance partner Ellie Leach. In 2024, Coppola won the 19th series of Celebrity MasterChef.

## Early life and competitive career

Coppola was born in Eboli, in Salerno, Italy on 27 September 1992. He has a younger brother, Jonathan. Coppola began dancing at the age of 6 and later competed in national championships. Coppola is a three-time World Championship finalist and a European Cup Winner. He won numerous competitions at provincial, regional and inter-regional level, and went on to win the first Italian championship at the age of 10 in the Juveniles category, as well as being selected by FIDS to represent Italy at the Team Match in Mannheim, Germany. Coppola also won the second Italian championship in the Combined 10 dances, passing with a merit into the higher category.

## Ballando con le Stelle

Prior to his appearances on competitive dance series, Coppola worked as a dancer on the Italian version of The Masked Singer. In 2021, Coppola joined the Rai 1 Italian dance television series Ballando con le Stelle as a professional for the 16th season. He was partnered with the singer and actress Arisa and the pair were crowned winners of the series. Coppola did not return for the following series, his departure alluding to him becoming a professional on the British version.
| Series | Partner | Place | Average score |
| 16 | Arisa | 1st | — |

### Series 16: with Arisa

| Week no. | Dance/song | Judges' score | Judges' score | Judges' score | Judges' score | Judges' score | Total | Result |
| Week no. | Dance/song | Zazzaroni | Canino | Smith | Lucarelli | Mariotto | Total | Result |
| 1 | Charleston | 7 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 8 | 85 | No elimination |
| 2 | Freestyle Veloce | 7 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 8 | 54 | Safe |
| 3 | Paso doble | 7 | 7 | 7 | 10 | 9 | 40 | Safe |
| 4 | Tango | 8 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 42 | Safe |
| 5 | Rumba | 9 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 47 | Safe |
| 6 | Bachata | — | — | — | — | — | — | Safe |
| 7 | Freestyle Lento | 9 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 73 | Safe |
| 8 | Cha-cha-cha | — | — | — | — | — | — | Safe |
| Safe |
| 10 | Waltz | 9 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 67 | Winners |
* ↑ Arisa & Vito received 50 bonus points
* ↑ Arisa & Vito received 10 bonus points
* ↑ Arisa & Vito received 25 bonus points
* ↑ Arisa & Vito received 20 bonus points

## Strictly Come Dancing

In July 2022, Coppola was announced to be joining the 20th series of Strictly Come Dancing as one of the professionals. Joining alongside Carlos Gu, Lauren Oakley and Michelle Tsiakkas, he said upon his appointment as a professional on the show, "[He was] really excited to become part of this family, adding that [He could not] wait to start this new adventure and to challenge [himself]. Strictly sto arrivando!". For his first series, he was paired with singer-songwriter and presenter Fleur East. Together they received the first perfect score of the series. Coppola reached the final with East and the couple finished as runners-up behind Hamza Yassin and Jowita Przystał, alongside Helen Skelton and Gorka Márquez, and Molly Rainford and Carlos Gu. Coppola returned for the 21st series. He was paired with former Coronation Street actress Ellie Leach, and the two of them eventually went on to win the series.
In April 2024, Coppola headlined a charity dance show alongside his fellow Strictly Come Dancing professional Luba Mushtuk, with the profits going to Macmillan Cancer Support.
| Series | Partner | Place | Average score |
| 20 | Fleur East | 2nd | 35.5 |
| 21 | Ellie Leach | 1st | 35.8 |
| 22 | Sarah Hadland | 2nd | 35.3 |
Highest and lowest scoring per dance
| Dance | Partner | Highest | Partner | Lowest |
| American Smooth | Ellie Leach | 40 | Fleur East | 29 |
| Argentine Tango | Ellie Leach Fleur East Sarah Hadland | 38 | | |
| Cha-cha-cha | Sarah Hadland | 40 | Fleur East | 29 |
| Charleston | Ellie Leach Fleur East | 39 | Sarah Hadland | 38 |
| Couple's Choice | Fleur East | 40 | Ellie Leach | 38 |
| Foxtrot | Ellie Leach | 31 | Sarah Hadland | 27 |
| Jive | Sarah Hadland | 36 | Ellie Leach | 29 |
| Paso Doble | Ellie Leach | 39 | Sarah Hadland | 32 |
| Quickstep | Fleur East | 38 | Sarah Hadland | 30 |
| Rumba | Sarah Hadland | 36 | Ellie Leach Fleur East | 35 |
| Salsa | Ellie Leach | 38 | Fleur East | 32 |
| Samba | Fleur East | 40 | Ellie Leach | 28 |
| Showdance | Fleur East Sarah Hadland | 39 | Ellie Leach | 36 |
| Tango | Sarah Hadland | 36 | | |
| Viennese Waltz | Ellie Leach Sarah Hadland | 33 | Fleur East | 28 |
| Waltz | Fleur East | 35 | | |

### Series 20: with Fleur East

| Week no. | Dance/song | Judges' score | Judges' score | Judges' score | Judges' score | Total | Result |
| Week no. | Dance/song | Horwood | Mabuse | Ballas | Du Beke | Total | Result |
| 1 | Cha-cha-cha / "Let's Get Loud" | 7 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 29 | No elimination |
| 2 | Viennese waltz / "Glimpse of Us" | 7 | 8 | 6 | 7 | 28 | Safe |
| 3 | American Smooth / "Part of Your World" | 6 | 8 | 7 | 8 | 29 | Bottom two |
| 4 | Argentine tango / "Paint It, Black" | 9 | 10 | 9 | 10 | 38 | Safe |
| 5 | Jive / "Waterloo" | 7 | 8 | 9 | 8 | 32 | Safe |
| 6 | Salsa / "Break My Soul" | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 32 | Bottom two |
| 7 | Waltz / "I Guess That's Why They Call It the Blues" | 9 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 35 | Safe |
| 8 | Samba / "Hot" | 9 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 39 | Safe |
| 9 | Couple's Choice / "Jumpin', Jumpin'"/"Independent Women Part I"/"Lose My Breath" | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 40 | Safe |
| 10 | Rumba / "Too Lost In You" | 8 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 35 | Bottom two |
| 11 | Quickstep / "I Got Rhythm" | 9 | 10 | 9 | 10 | 38 | Safe |
| 12 | Paso doble / "The Time Is Now" | 8 | 9 | 8 | 10 | 35 | Bottom two |
| 12 | Charleston / "Tu vuò fà l'americano" | 9 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 39 | Bottom two |
| 13 | Samba / "Hot" | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 40 | Runner-up |
| 13 | Showdance / "Find Me" | 9 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 39 | Runner-up |
| 13 | Couple's Choice / "Jumpin', Jumpin'"/"Independent Women Part I"/"Lose My Breath" | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 40 | Runner-up |

### Series 21: with Ellie Leach

| Week no. | Dance/song | Judges' score | Judges' score | Judges' score | Judges' score | Total | Result |
| Week no. | Dance/song | Horwood | Mabuse | Ballas | Du Beke | Total | Result |
| 1 | Jive / "Can't Tame Her" | 7 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 29 | No elimination |
| 2 | Foxtrot / "Perfect" | 8 | 8 | 7 | 8 | 31 | Safe |
| 3 | Viennese waltz / "Waiting on a Miracle" | 8 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 33 | Safe |
| 4 | Samba / "Copacabana" | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 28 | Safe |
| 5 | Paso doble / "Insomnia" | 9 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 37 | Safe |
| 6 | Salsa / "Murder on the Dancefloor" | 9 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 38 | Safe |
| 7 | American Smooth / "Ain't That a Kick in the Head?" | 9 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 39 | Safe |
| 8 | Rumba / "True Colors" | 8 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 35 | Safe |
| 9 | Charleston / "Love Machine" | 9 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 39 | Safe |
| 10 | Argentine tango / "Bills" | 9 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 38 | Safe |
| 11 | Quickstep / "Belle" | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 36 | No elimination |
| 12 | Cha-cha-cha / "Mambo Italiano" Couple's Choice / "Blow Your Mind" & "Physical" | 9 9 | 10 9 | 9 10 | 9 10 | 37 38 | Safe |
| 13 | Paso doble / "Insomnia" Showdance / "On the Floor" & "Dance Again" American Smooth / "Ain't That a Kick in the Head?" | 9 9 10 | 10 9 10 | 10 9 10 | 10 9 10 | 39 36 40 | Winners |

### Series 22: with Sarah Hadland

| Week no. | Dance/song | Judges' score | Judges' score | Judges' score | Judges' score | Total | Result |
| Week no. | Dance/song | Horwood | Mabuse | Ballas | Du Beke | Total | Result |
| 1 | Quickstep / "9 to 5" | 8 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 30 | No elimination |
| 2 | Paso Doble / "Freed from Desire" | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 32 | Safe |
| 3 | Viennese waltz / "Hedwig's Theme" | 8 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 33 | Safe |
| 4 | Foxtrot / "Birds of a Feather" | 6 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 27 | Safe |
| 5 | Samba / "Do It, Do It Again" | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 32 | Safe |
| 6 | Argentine tango / "Ready or Not" | 9 | 10 | 9 | 10 | 38 | Safe |
| 7 | Cha-cha-cha / "Like a Prayer" | 9 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 37 | Safe |
| 8 | American Smooth / "Proud" | 8 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 33 | Safe |
| 9 | Couple's Choice / "Padam Padam"/"Can't Get You Out of My Head" | 9 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 39 | Safe |
| 10 | Rumba / "Chains" Samba-thon / "Samba" & "La Vida Es Un Carnaval" | 8 Awarded | 8 4 | 10 extra | 10 points | 36 40 | Safe |
| 11 | Charleston / "Popular" | 9 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 38 | Safe |
| 12 | Tango / "Big Love" Jive / "I'm So Excited" | 9 9 | 9 9 | 9 9 | 9 9 | 36 36 | Safe |
| 13 | American Smooth / "Proud" Showdance / "Cabaret" Cha-cha-cha / "Like a Prayer" | 9 9 10 | 10 10 10 | 10 10 10 | 10 10 10 | 39 39 40 | Runner-up |

## Personal life

Coppola is multi-lingual and is fluent in English, Russian and Spanish, as well as his native language Italian.