Vito Coppola shares why he feels 'very lucky' about BBC Strictly role amid brutal exits

Olivia Gantzer
Wed, 29 Apr 2026 18:58:06 +0000

Vito Coppola shared how he feels "so lucky" as he reflected on his BBC Strictly journey.

Speaking exclusively to GB News, the Italian dancer talked about his ongoing passion for the role amid recent professional dancer exits.

The popular BBC programme appears to be undergoing a shake-up, with Gorka Marquez, Nadiya Bychkova, Luba Mushtuk, Karen Hauer and Michelle Tsiakkas having eft the show following speculation they had been "axed."

Reflecting on how he has been on the show since 2022, Mr Coppola told GB News that he still enjoys each series as much as the first.

"Yes, I mean, everyone knows that I am such an excited puppy, high energy," he shared.

"So I love to enjoy and to appreciate every single year, every single moment, as if it's the first time again.

"That's why they say, like, 'oh my God, you should be used at this point, after four series.'

"But not for me. Every year, and also it's because every year they bring something new, you know, they keep improving. They keep evolving.

"That's the beauty of Strictly, so a new year is not similar to the previous year and is not similar to the first year I joined."

He continued: "So every year I say, 'Oh, this one is the best year. I mean, it's this is going to be difficult to create something better than this,' and after the next year, they're going to create something even more beautiful, you know.

"So, yeah, but I do love what I do. I consider myself always very lucky.

"I do my gratitude exercise every morning as I wake up, because I like to appreciate you know, the fact that I am able to live through my passion, which is dancing, and the love of my life, which is food.

"So basically, in my family, there are two, two things that is the best combination for happiness - dancing and food."

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When asked about who his dream celebrity partner would be, Mr Coppla confessed: "Well, it's my crush, Jessica Alba. She's the one since I was a little kid.

"I used to watch her, you know, I used to Google her, to download the her picture as a lock screen on my phone.

"And when people asked me, 'who's this girl on your phone?' I'd say 'that's my girlfriend.'"

The dancer's chat with GB News came as he partnered with Domino's to launch their new Italianos range, delivering pizzas aboard a gondola-style vessel dubbed the "Domdola" through London's Little Venice.

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"As an Italian, I take my pizza very seriously," he shared.

"So, if you're going to bring a slice of Italy to the UK, you have to do it properly."

The professional has also recently released a food-focused book titled Love Vito, reflecting his belief that cuisine has shaped his entire life.

His philosophy stems from family wisdom, with Mr Coppola recalling how his grandfather, also named Vito, attributed his happiness to two things: food and dancing.