Ellie Leach has revealed Strictly Come Dancing is helping her overcome her low confidence, after breaking up with her cheating ex-boyfriend.
The former Coronation Street actress, 22, decided to end her five-year relationship with Reegan Pettman “to reflect” after leaving Corrie.
In a chat with The Mirror, the telly actress said she still only sees her faults. She has admitted she “struggles” with self-confidence and is hoping Strictly can help her with that.
Vita has taught Ellie so much already
Ellie spoke about how partnering with Italian professional dancer Vito Coppola, 31, has “taught” her so much already.
“Vito has taught me so much already. He tells me, ‘It’s a competition with yourself. If you’re tired, fight it, if you’re stressed, fight it. I also don’t praise myself enough, I just focus on the wrong. But then he’ll say to me, ‘Yeah, but you just did that.”
Ellie, who performed an elegant foxtrot to Fairground Attraction’s Perfect, split from dancer Reagan Pettman, in May after he was unfaithful. She said: “Being cheated on was upsetting, but now’s the perfect time to put my all into Strictly and give that 500%.”
Her sizzling first routine with Vito won praise from all four judges last week, with head judge Shirley Ballas calling her “absolutely amazing.”
‘The physical closeness is weird,’ says Ellie
Ellie also called getting up close and personal with her pro partner “weird,” and added, “Dancing is like two people becoming one.”
“The physical closeness is weird. They say when you dance, two people become like one. It does help to be an actor. But poor Vito, because I’ve been sweating, I’ve been crying… I’ll cry at anything – if I’m happy, I cry, if I’m sad, I cry, if I’m excited, I cry, if I’m angry, I cry. So whether it’s tears or sweat, he’s going to end up soaked!”
But fans are certainly enjoying the ‘physical closeness’, with rumours already circulating that they are getting even closer!
“Ellie and Vito oh I can feel the chemistry from my tv sizzling,” teased one fan. Another added: “Vito and Ellie win the most adorable couple award.”
“I just want Ellie and Vito to fall hopelessly in love with each other,” declared one more, as another said they were “obsessed” with them getting together.
Ellie enjoys swapping Faye’s school uniform for strictly glam
Ellie, who landed the role of Faye Windass aged nine, says she is enjoying swapping Faye’s school uniform for Strictly’s glam.
View this post on Instagram
She said: “At the start, I was like, ‘Sequins, glitter, make-up, clothes’. Now it’s, ‘Bruises, sweat, tears, blood’. I hadn’t anticipated how hard it would be but I’m trying my best – and hope I end up in a sequinned catsuit.”
Strictly Come Dancing airs every Saturday and Sunday on BBC One at 7.15 pm.
What do you think of this story? Head over to our Facebook page @EntertainmentDailyFix to share your thoughts!