Strictly star 'signs up for Celeb MasterChef' after teasing move away from dance
Vito Coppola has reportedly signed up for the next series of Celebrity MasterChef.
The professional dancer, 31, is said to have signed up for the BBC cooking show just months after winning Strictly Come Dancing with Ellie Leach, 22. Several of his colleagues have already been on the celebrity edition of MasterChef such as Dianne Buswell, Katya Jones and Johannes Radebe.
It's been teased that producers had been "desperate" to get Vito to follow in their footsteps by taking part in the culinary show, which features Gregg Wallace and John Torode as the judges. He's said to have been "flattered" and signed up.
"Bosses were desperate to sign up Vito - his popularity with audiences is obvious after he won Strictly with [Ellie]. He's funny and charming, and it doesn't hurt that he's easy on the eye too," a source told the Sun about the dancer.
They added ahead of the show's anticipated return: "As for Vito, he was flattered to be asked as he has only been on Strictly for a couple of years so this is a big deal for him and introduces him to an even wider audience."
Strictly's Molly Rainford and Tyler West fuel romance rumours while on tour
Strictly Come Dancing winner Vito Coppola, pictured with Ellie Leach, is said to have signed up for Celebrity MasterChef (BBC/Guy Levy)Vito is the latest celebrity rumoured to have signed up for the next series of Celebrity MasterChef. The Traitors star Diane Carson as well as ITV presenters Craig Doyle and Christine Lampard are reportedly due to take part.
Other rumoured contestants include Glow Up judge Dominic Skinner, singer Jake Quickenden, Sex Education cast member Eshaan Akbar, Steps member Ian 'H' Watkins and radio presenter Snoochie Shy. Line of Duty star Rochenda Sandall, radio host Edith Bowman, reality TV star Charlotte Crosby and Gladiators star Harry Aikines-Aryeetey, known as 'Nitro', have reportedly signed up too.
A MasterChef spokesperson told the Mirror: "We do not comment on speculation over the Celebrity MasterChef line-up."
Vito joined Strictly Come Dancing in 2022. He had previously won Ballando con le Stelle, which is part of the international Dancing with the Stars brand, in his native Italy. He won the dance contest with singer Arisa in 2021.
Following his introduction on the UK show, Vito reached the final with his singer-songwriter Fleur East. The dancer and his celebrity partner were among the runners-up that year, placing behind winners Hamza Yassin and Jowita Przystał.
He returned for the latest series, which was broadcast last year, in which he was partnered with former Coronation Street cast member Ellie. The pair made it to the final together and were subsequently announced as the winners. Ellie had competed against fellow actors Bobby Brazier and Layton Williams in the final, which aired back in December.
The speculation that Vito has signed up for Celebrity MasterChef comes after he teased that in the future he would like to move away from being a dancer on Strictly. He's instead suggested that he would like to join the judging panel at some point, following in the footsteps of Anton Du Beke.
He told the Express last year that it would be "a big dream" to become a judge on the BBC show. Vito said: "But I feel like, you know I'm still at the beginning. I just came from Italy so I don't know when, but I mean they're like the best example to follow, so it would be a pleasure one day."
Read more similar news:
Comments:
comments powered by Disqus
