Strictly Come Dancing winning pair Ellie Leach and Vito Coppola have clarified the nature of their relationship following their triumph during last week's finale.
Today (December 18) the pair appeared on This Morning, where hosts Josie Gibson and Craig Doyle quizzed them about those persistent dating rumours.
The Coronation Street star, who just became Strictly's youngest-ever winner at 22, and the pro dancer were quick to brush them off, revealing they're really good friends.
Related: Strictly star Bobby Brazier's dad shares sweet tribute ahead of final
"Honestly we've been having the most amazing time dancing, we've been a really strong bond and a friendship that will last forever...," Leach said.
"We're really lucky to have that bond and we'll be friends for life," she continued, adding that they've "been through so much together".
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For his part, Coppola said: "I love that word! We had a beautiful bond, a good bond."
He then added: "When you connect with a person straight away, I'm a very 'first impressions' person... you choose the people and I'm so so lucky to have you in my life."
Related: Strictly's Kai Widdrington reveals details of new role
Leach and Coppola bested Strictly's two other finalist couples, Bad Education's Layton Williams and Nikita Kuzmin and EastEnders' Bobby Brazier and Diane Buswell.
Despite receiving a lower score from the judges compared to the other pairs, the soap star and the Italian dancer received the most votes from the public during the finale on December 16, leading them to lift the Glitterball trophy.
Strictly Come Dancing airs on Saturdays and Sundays on BBC One, while spin-off Strictly: It Takes Two airs on weeknights on BBC Two. Both shows are available to stream on BBC iPlayer.
Tickets for Strictly's 2024 live arena tour are available now.
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Stefania is a freelance writer specialising in TV and movies. After graduating from City University, London, she covered LGBTQ+ news and pursued a career in entertainment journalism, with her work appearing in outlets including Little White Lies, The Skinny, Radio Times and Digital Spy.
Her beats are horror films and period dramas, especially if fronted by queer women. She can argue why Scream is the best slasher in four languages (and a half).
