Strictly’s Vito Coppola sends fans WILD with a shirtless dancing video ahead of the show final – and even catches the eye of judge Shirley Ballas

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Vito Coppola sent fans into a frenzy after sharing a shirtless dancing video on Instagram.

After Halloween Week on BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing, professional dancer Nikita Kuzmin, 33, and his celebrity partner, Ellie Goldstein, became the fifth couple to be eliminated from the competition.

Just before the show ends on Saturday, Vito shared a short, energetic video of himself dancing to the popular song “Mi Gente” by J Balvin and Willy William.

He announced on social media that he’s preparing for the @dancewithusclasses Live Experience in 2026, and asked his followers if they are excited too!

‘dance with us, dance with love’

People immediately filled the comments section with positive reactions, and the video even impressed Strictly Come Dancing judge Shirley Ballas.

She joked: ‘Why is this video 2 hours long.’

This follows the positive attention Ellie received from Mencap, a learning disability charity, after she left the show with Vito.

Ellie, a 23-year-old model and the first contestant with Down syndrome on the show, competed against Balvinder Sopal in a dance-off. Unfortunately, Ellie was eliminated, while Balvinder survived her third dance-off and will continue on the show.

After Ellie left the show, Jon Sparkes OBE, Chief Executive of Mencap, shared: ‘We’re incredibly proud of Ellie and everything she achieved on Strictly Come Dancing…’

Ellie has brilliantly demonstrated the incredible potential of people with learning disabilities when they’re given a chance to showcase their talents.

Vito’s departure from the show was emotional, leaving many viewers in tears. He affectionately called Ellie ‘his perfect angel’ and shared heartfelt words, saying he’d always wished for a little sister and now considers her his, promising to always be there for her as her big brother.

Ellie and Vito were eliminated from the competition after losing a dance-off to Balvinder and Julian Caillon. They performed a Tango to Lady Gaga’s “Abracadabra.”

All three judges – Anton Du Beke, Craig Revel Horwood, and Motsi Mabuse – agreed to keep Balvinder on the show. This was after Balvinder had previously competed in two dance-offs, against Ross King and Chris Robshaw.

Head Judge Shirley Ballas, who had the deciding vote, explained that she would have preferred to keep Balvinder and Julian on the show. However, she also praised Ellie, saying she had been consistently excellent throughout the competition.

Ellie shared how much fun she had dancing with Vito, saying it was a wonderful experience. She described him as a genuinely kind person and added that he was everything she had hoped for from the beginning.

Vito shared a heartfelt message, saying he couldn’t express how incredibly proud he was. He explained that this person had profoundly changed his life and helped him become a better version of himself.

Earlier this year, I wished for someone special to come into my life, and now you’ve arrived. It feels like a dream come true.

I always dreamed of having a little sister, and now I do – you! I’m so happy you’re my little sister, and I’ll always be here for you as your big brother.

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2025-12-17 21:18