Ellie Leach becomes youngest person to win Strictly Come Dancing
She won alongside her dance partner Vito Coppola
Ellie Leach has become the youngest winner of Strictly Come Dancing with her professional dance partner Vito Coppola.
The 22-year-old TV star beat two other couples – Bobby Brazier and Dianne Buswell, and Layton Williams and Nikita Kuzmin.
Upon winning the glitterball trophy, the former Coronation Street star said: “I actually, genuinely cannot believe this.”
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“For once, you’re crying more than me,” she told Coppola.
She added: “This is for you, this is for you.”
Talking about their win, Coppola said: “I mean this is like the cherry on the cake.”
He turned to Leach: “You have been so amazing, you are Strictly, you represent Strictly. You are finally, you know, the diamond I was talking (about).”
At the beginning of the final, Amy Dowden performed an opening dance number alongside the other Strictly professionals, who were dressed in black and white.
The 33-year-old dancer was unable to have a celebrity partner this year on the BBC One show following her diagnosis and subsequent treatment for stage three breast cancer.
During the dance number, the finalists were welcomed on to the dance floor before presenters Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman announced the arrival of the judges.
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At the end of the show and before the results were announced, former Family Fortunes host Les Dennis was lifted onto the Strictly dance floor via a giant glittery anchor for the series’ last group performance.
Elsewhere, broadcaster Angela Rippon showed off one of her famous high leg kicks while the rest of the Strictly professionals and celebrities danced in the background.
The winner of Strictly Come Dancing 2023 was decided by the public vote.
On the judges’ scoreboard, Williams and Kuzmin had been in the lead with a total of 119 points.
Second to them was Brazier and Buswell who had received 117 points, and they were followed by Leach and Coppola with 115.
Last year, wildlife cameraman and presenter Hamza Yassin and professional dancer Jowita Przystal won the glitterball trophy.
The Press Association
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