BBC Strictly Come Dancing 2023 winner revealed as emotional star makes history

12/16/2023

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Coronation Street star Ellie Leach and her professional partner Vito Coppola have been named Strictly Come Dancing 2023 champions with the actress being the youngest contestant to win the BBC competition.

The dynamic duo beat off tough competition from West End star Layton Williams and Nikita Kuzmin and EastEnders actor Bobby Brazier and Dianne Buswell on Saturday (December 16) night. After weeks of wowing viewers at home as well as judges Craig Revel Horwood, Shirley Ballas, Motsi Mabuse and Anton Du Beke, the public voted Ellie and Vito to lift the iconic Glitterball Trophy.

Hosts Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman were on hand on share the announcement and were the first to congratulate the pair on their win. Ellie was speechless after learning she was the winner and went on to thank Vito, who she has been romantically linked to away from the show.

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Ellie emotionally told Vito just how much he means to her during the live final. She fought back the tears after performing her second dance of the night out of three with her dance partner on the BBC series, telling him how much he has changed her life since they began their Strictly journey together earlier this year.

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Speaking after receiving feedback from the judges, an emotional Ellie told Vito how he has changed her life for the better and confessed she didn't have "the words" to describe just how much he means to her – sobbing as she made the moving declaration.

Things didn't quite to smoothy as Ellie and Vito would have liked in the final after Vito nearly dropped Ellie during a "dangerous" lift. The actress almost landed on her head when the couple were unable to perform the lift seamlessly. Seeing the drama unfold, fans headed over to X formerly known as Twitter to share their thoughts.

One viewer said: "Woah, spectacular show dance but not entirely clean. Those lifts were risky." Another said: "Very difficult choreography and didn't always pay off." A third penned: "That was so good from Ellie. Such a shame about that wee mistake."

While a fourth added: Regardless of that slight mistake Ellie and Vito did AMAZING. That show dance was great." Although Ellie appeared to be emotionally bruised after the routine and shaken, the judges were forgiving. Talking about her mishap, all four judges agreed that Ellie's routine was extremely difficult.

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Head judge Shirley Ballas said: "First of all I want to say you should be extremely proud of yourself. That was one of the most difficult routines that I've seen.

"You started off absolutely outstanding, the tricks were slick, you came down the centre of the floor and you owned it! You started in this competition as a young girl and you ended as a beautiful blossoming woman. You owned it!" Judge Oti Mabuse also echoed Shirley's statement and told Ellie that she would continue to give her a standing ovation despite her mistake.

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Strictly Come Dancing
Ellie Leach

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