Strictly Come Dancing professional Vito Coppola has revealed that his celebrity dance partners are never allowed to share his food, a rule that applies even when the pair become close during their time on the BBC show.
Vito, 38, has been a familiar face on Strictly for four years and won the Glitterball Trophy with Ellie Leach in 2023. Away from the dancefloor, the Italian star has another major passion: food.
Food as a lifelong passion
The professional dancer has explored his love of cooking and eating in his new autobiography, Love, Vito, describing food as a constant presence in his life and something he uses to bring people together.
Speaking to heat, he said: "I love food, as if food is a person. Food is my best friend, it's part of my family."
For Vito, food is closely tied to both his emotions and his relationships. He explained that he turns to it when celebrating as well as when he needs cheering up, while meals have long played an important role in bringing his family and friends together.
"Food is the only essential glue that connects all my family with friends and other people. All the people who are very close to me like Fleur, Ellie and Ellie - they all love their food."
The one rule: no sharing
But despite his enthusiasm for feeding the people around him, Vito has one very clear rule when it comes to his own meals.
"We had the rule when we were starting to dance together - we share everything, but not the food. I love them to the moon and back, but my food is my food. I don't share!"
That doesn't mean Vito is reluctant to cook for his Strictly colleagues. In fact, he has made a habit of preparing food for those working behind the scenes, seeing it as a way of showing his appreciation.
Cooking for the Strictly team
He told heat that he has brought homemade treats into the studio throughout the series, including tiramisu for members of the production team. He has also cooked pasta with tomato sauce for the show's singers after they requested it.
His generosity even extended to presenter Claudia Winkleman, for whom he prepared an elaborate aubergine Parmigiana consisting of 12 layers.
"All my family was like, 'What are you doing?' They thought I would have baked her a little muffin or cupcake."
Vito's efforts didn't go entirely unrewarded, either. Claudia would apparently sneak him chocolate pretzels while they were filming, with the pair even developing secret signals so she knew when to pass him a treat.
"I cannot last the entire series without having a little piece of chocolate every now and then."
Beyond Strictly
Vito's love of food has also taken him beyond Strictly. He won Celebrity MasterChef in 2024 after showcasing his Italian cooking skills and has now turned his experiences into his autobiography.
The dancer first began training at just six years old under the guidance of his father before progressing through Latin American competitions and eventually reaching European and international championships.
Despite changes surrounding Strictly in recent years, Vito remains positive about his place on the show and its future.
"Of course, I cannot predict the future but it's something that happened to me in the perfect moment of my life and I feel like I'm in the right place now in this moment of my life."
Vito is also set to tour with fellow Strictly professional Dianne Buswell in spring 2027, with the pair preparing to take their new show, Back In Business, on the road.
"Whatever comes, I'm grateful and happy to take it in," he said. "But I also want to live in the present because sometimes when we think too much in the future, we miss the now."
Love, Vito by Vito Coppola is published by Sphere on August 27, priced £25.
