Vito Coppola is dating Valentina Sica, an Italian personal brand strategist he went Instagram-official with in July 2025. The 33-year-old Strictly Come Dancing professional dancer from Eboli, Italy, has been at the centre of relationship speculation ever since he lifted the Glitterball Trophy with Ellie Leach in 2023 — but his actual romantic history is far more straightforward than the tabloid headlines suggest.
Before Valentina, Vito dated Italian pop star Arisa after they won Ballando con le Stelle together in 2021. He has also been linked — without confirmation — to fellow Strictly professional Jowita Przystal and to TV presenter Helen Skelton. Here is every confirmed relationship, every rumour, and where things actually stand right now — the definitive guide to the Vito strictly girlfriend story.
Who Is Valentina Sica? Vito Coppola’s Confirmed Girlfriend
Valentina Sica is an Italian personal brand strategist who became Vito Coppola’s confirmed girlfriend when the dancer shared a mirror selfie with her on Instagram Stories on 8 July 2025, during a romantic trip to Leicester ahead of Strictly rehearsals. Her Instagram handle is @valesica_, where her bio reads “helping brands & creators grow online.”
Valentina is Italian, like Vito, and had around 4,800 Instagram followers at the time the relationship became public — a notably modest figure compared to the millions following the Strictly pros. She is emphatically not a celebrity. That low profile is a deliberate choice, and it marks a sharp contrast with Vito’s previous relationship with pop star Arisa.
What We Know About Valentina’s Background
Details about Valentina Sica’s life beyond her Instagram bio remain scarce. She works in digital brand strategy, helping brands and creators build their online presence. In May 2025, she publicly shared news of her mother’s passing on social media — one of the rare personal glimpses she has offered.
None of the top-ranking articles about Vito Coppola’s girlfriend offer substantive detail about Valentina beyond her name and profession. That gap is itself telling: she has deliberately stayed out of the spotlight that follows every Strictly professional dancer’s partner.
| Detail | Valentina Sica |
|---|---|
| Nationality | Italian |
| Profession | Personal brand strategist |
| @valesica_ (~4,800 followers as of July 2025) | |
| Relationship public since | 8 July 2025 (Instagram Stories) |
| Public profile | Deliberately low-key; not a public figure |
Are Vito and Valentina Still Together in 2026?
No confirmed breakup has been reported. However, no new photos of the couple together have surfaced publicly since September 2025, which has fuelled speculation among fans. Neither Vito nor Valentina has addressed their current status directly.
Strictly fans on r/strictlycomedancing — a community known for tracking every pro dancer’s off-screen life with forensic attention — have noticed the social media silence. One recent thread from March 2026 asking whether Vito is “still Ellie Leach’s biggest supporter” generated five comments but no definitive answer about his relationship status.
Vito Coppola and Ellie Leach: The 2023 Strictly Partnership That Sparked a Thousand Headlines
Vito Coppola and Ellie Leach were never a couple. Both have denied it repeatedly and explicitly. Their partnership on the 2023 series of Strictly Come Dancing produced a Glitterball Trophy win and some of the most intense romance speculation the show has seen in years — but the relationship was, by every available account, a close friendship and nothing more.
What Happened During Strictly 2023
Ellie Leach, best known for playing Faye Windass on Coronation Street, was paired with Vito for Series 21. The chemistry was immediate. Week after week, their performances earned high scores and growing media attention. They won the final, making it Vito’s first Glitterball victory after reaching the final with Fleur East in 2022.
Tabloids ran wall-to-wall coverage suggesting the partnership had become romantic. Photographs of the pair together outside rehearsals, their obvious warmth at press events, and the sheer intensity of their on-screen connection provided ample material for speculation.
What Ellie and Vito Actually Said
Ellie addressed the rumours directly, telling Metro: “We really, really get along and we have a lovely friendship.” In separate interviews, she described Vito as being “like a brother” and said the bond was built on mutual respect and the pressure-cooker environment of live television.
Vito has been equally clear, speaking warmly about Ellie as a dance partner and friend without ever hinting at anything beyond that. The fact that he was later confirmed to be dating Valentina Sica puts the 2023 timeline into sharper focus.
“He is wild… every day we just laugh”
— Ellie Leach, quoted in press coverage during Strictly 2023
The Strictly Curse Factor
Speculation about Vito and Ellie fits a well-documented pattern. The so-called “Strictly Curse” — where celebrity contestants and professional dancers develop romantic relationships during the show — has produced real couples over the years. But it has also created a media reflex where every close partnership gets filtered through the same romantic lens, regardless of the reality.
In Vito and Ellie’s case, the reality was friendship. They remain on good terms, with Vito showing continued support for Ellie’s post-Strictly career.
Vito Coppola’s Ex-Girlfriend: The Arisa Relationship
Before Valentina Sica, Vito Coppola’s most significant public relationship was with Arisa (real name Rosalba Pippa), the Italian pop singer who was his celebrity partner on Ballando con le Stelle — Italy’s version of Strictly Come Dancing — in 2021. They won the competition together, and the romance that developed during the show became public shortly after.
How They Met and What Happened
Vito and Arisa were paired for Series 16 of Ballando con le Stelle. They won, and the partnership continued off-screen. Italian media, including the publication Mio, confirmed the relationship in the months following their victory.
The relationship lasted approximately one year before they split in 2022. Italian media reported a “rocky patch,” though neither Vito nor Arisa provided detailed public explanations. After the breakup, Arisa told Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera that she was still “in love” with him — a candid admission that gave a rare window into how the relationship ended.
Vito moved to the UK later that year to join BBC Strictly Come Dancing for Series 20, partnering with singer Fleur East and reaching the final in his debut season.
The Jowita Przystal Rumour: What Actually Happened
In late 2024, tabloid reports linked Vito Coppola romantically to Jowita Przystal, a fellow Strictly Come Dancing professional dancer. The Sun and other outlets cited unnamed “friends” who claimed “the chemistry on set is palpable.” The speculation intensified when Jowita posted an Instagram Story about enjoying tiramisu in Italy.
Neither Vito nor Jowita has ever confirmed the rumour. No follow-up reporting has produced evidence beyond the original unnamed sources. Jowita had previously been linked to celebrity partner Pete Wicks, adding another layer to the tabloid narrative.
This rumour remains unconfirmed and should be treated as exactly that — speculation without verification from either party involved. For fans searching “Vito strictly girlfriend” hoping for a Jowita confirmation, the answer is: no evidence supports it.
Vito Coppola’s Complete Relationship Timeline
Tracking every confirmed and rumoured relationship alongside Vito Coppola’s Strictly Come Dancing career gives a clear picture of how his personal life has intersected with his professional trajectory. Four Strictly seasons, one confirmed ex, one current girlfriend, and a trail of tabloid speculation.
| Year | Career Milestone | Relationship Status | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Won Ballando con le Stelle (Italy) with Arisa | Dating Arisa | Romance developed during Italian Strictly; confirmed post-show |
| 2022 | Joined BBC Strictly; reached final with Fleur East | Split from Arisa; Helen Skelton rumours (unconfirmed) | Relocated from Italy to UK; focused on establishing Strictly career |
| 2023 | Won Glitterball with Ellie Leach | Ellie Leach rumours (denied by both) | Intense media speculation; both confirmed friendship only |
| 2024 | Reached final with Sarah Hadland; won Celebrity MasterChef | Jowita Przystal rumours (unconfirmed) | Tabloid reports cited unnamed sources; neither party confirmed |
| 2025 | Partnered Ellie Goldstein; eliminated after Halloween week | Confirmed dating Valentina Sica (July 2025) | Went Instagram-official during Leicester getaway |
| 2026 | Strictly Live Arena Tour; book “Love, Vito” announced | Status with Valentina unconfirmed since Sept 2025 | No public breakup reported; no new couple photos either |
Vito Coppola: The Man Behind the Strictly Spotlight
Born on 27 September 1992 in Eboli, a city of roughly 40,000 people in the Campania region of southern Italy, Vito Coppola started dancing at age six and won his first Italian championship at ten. He is an 11-time Italian Latin American Champion, a three-time World Championship finalist, and a European Cup Winner.
He speaks four languages fluently — Italian, English, Russian, and Spanish — and has a younger brother named Jonathan. His height is approximately 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m).
Beyond the dancefloor, Vito won the 19th series of Celebrity MasterChef in 2024, revealing a genuine passion for cooking that he traces back to his Campanian upbringing. That culinary side is now front and centre: his first book, Love, Vito: My Story of Food, Family and Finding Home, is scheduled for release in August 2026 and is already available for pre-order.
Strictly Come Dancing Career Record
| Series | Year | Celebrity Partner | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Series 20 | 2022 | Fleur East | Finalist |
| Series 21 | 2023 | Ellie Leach | Winner (Glitterball Trophy) |
| Series 22 | 2024 | Sarah Hadland | Finalist |
| Series 23 | 2025 | Ellie Goldstein | Eliminated (Halloween week) |
Three finals from his first three series is a record few Strictly professionals can match. The 2025 elimination with Ellie Goldstein broke that streak but did nothing to diminish his standing with viewers or the production. Unsurprisingly, the Vito Coppola strictly girlfriend question has intensified with each series, as his growing fame brings more public curiosity about his personal life.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Vito from Strictly have a girlfriend?
Yes. Has Vito from Strictly got a girlfriend? He has — Valentina Sica, an Italian brand strategist he went Instagram-official with in July 2025. No breakup has been publicly reported, though the couple have not appeared together on social media since September 2025.
What is Vito Coppola’s girlfriend’s name?
Vito Coppola’s girlfriend is named Valentina Sica. She is an Italian personal brand strategist with the Instagram handle @valesica_.
How old is Vito Coppola’s girlfriend?
Valentina Sica’s exact age has not been publicly confirmed. Vito himself was born on 27 September 1992, making him 33 years old as of March 2026.
What nationality is Vito Coppola’s girlfriend?
Valentina Sica is Italian, sharing the same nationality as Vito Coppola, who was born in Eboli in the Campania region of southern Italy.
What is Vito Coppola’s girlfriend’s Instagram?
Valentina Sica’s Instagram handle is @valesica_. She had approximately 4,800 followers when the relationship became public in July 2025. Her account is not heavily followed compared to Strictly personalities.
Did Vito Coppola date Ellie Leach?
No. Both Vito Coppola and Ellie Leach have repeatedly denied a romantic relationship. Ellie described Vito as “like a brother” and told Metro they have “a lovely friendship.” The speculation came entirely from their on-screen chemistry during the 2023 Strictly series.
Who is Vito Coppola’s ex-girlfriend?
Vito Coppola’s confirmed ex-girlfriend is Arisa (real name Rosalba Pippa), an Italian pop singer. They dated after winning Ballando con le Stelle together in 2021 and split in 2022 before Vito moved to the UK for Strictly Come Dancing.
Did Vito Coppola break up with his girlfriend?
No confirmed breakup with current girlfriend Valentina Sica has been reported. His previous confirmed breakup was with Arisa in 2022, which Italian media attributed to a “rocky patch” in the relationship.
