Strictly's Vito Coppola declares 'so proud' as he supports co-star announcement (2025)

The dancer couldn't hide his excitement for one of his friends and former dance partners

Vito Coppola has told fans he's 'so proud' as his former Strictly Come Dancing co-star made a major career announcment.

Fans of the BBC One dance contest will recall that when the dancer joined the hit show back in 2022 alongside fellow new pros alongside Carlos Gu, Lauren Oakley and Michelle Tsiakkas, he was quickly given a celebrity partner.

For the 20th series of Strictly, Vito was paired with singer and radio star Fleur East and it proved to be quite the start for his time on the show as they made it all the way to the final.

The couple finished as runners-up behind Hamza Yassin and Jowita Przystał, alongside Helen Skelton and Gorka Márquez, and Molly Rainford and Carlos.

But Vito and Fleur, who is now the co-host of Strictly's weekday spin-off It Takes Two alongside Janette Manrara, have remained great friends in the years that have followed and they are always quick to show their support publicly for one another.

So it was no different when Fleur shared her latest exciting announcement. It has been announced that the 37-year-old will make her West End debut in the long-running Tina Turner musical.

Tina: The Tina Turner Musical, which depicts the American singer’s life from her humble beginnings in Nutbush, Tennessee to her transformation into a rock ‘n’ roll star, began in April 2018 at the Aldwych Theatre in London.

Fleur will share the role of Turner alongside one of its current stars, theatre actress Karis Anderson. She confirmed the new on The One Show, saying: "I'm really excited to announce that I'll be playing Tina in Tina: The Tina Turner Musical on the West End!"

As the studio erupted with applause, JB Gill said that "there is no one better suited" as Alex Jones commented: "That is amazing news. It's been going for seven years, this is your first time doing a West End show, how much did you know about Tina before taking on the role?"

The star replied: "As a performer Tina has always been in my top five, I've definitely channelled Tina over the years, but I didn't know much about her story.

"And all the challenges she faced, when I first went to see the musical with my husband I was just taken back by her resilience, her strength..."

Fleur also shared posts on Instagram from the Tina: The Tina Turner Musical team, which Vito was quick to comment on and shared to his own social media platform.

In response to one post, the Italian star gushed: "Mamma miaaaaa I am so excited about this!!!!!!" He also shared one of his comments to his Instagram Story and cheered: "Partneeeer!!! Omg, Omg, OMG I am sooooo excited!!!!!"

The musical’s producer Tali Pelman said of Fleur's addition: "I am a huge admirer of Fleur, who has always struck me as an extraordinary woman; an exceptional talent who, like Tina Turner, will not allow herself to be defined by others.

"Fleur’s generosity, optimism, kindness and determination are all qualities that are truly Tina. She is a natural, and we are thrilled she has decided to make her stage debut in our musical. I am tremendously excited that our journey together has begun."