Strictly Come Dancing star Helen Skelton has reportedly grown closer to professional dancer Vito Coppola on the tour.
It has been rumoured that the pair are going on casual dates. Sources say the former Blue Peter presenter and the pro dancer have "bonded" after spending time together on the show tour bus.
The mum-of-three made it to the final with her partner Gorka Marquez. But she wasn't dancing with him during the tour.
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Just months before last season's Strictly kicked off, Helen split from her husband Richie Myler. But Helen and Vito getting closer are said to have caught the attention of fellow stars behind the scenes, reports The Mirror.
A source said: “Helen and Vito were good friends during Strictly, but really bonded on tour. There were two buses for the cast – the party bus and the quiet bus.
“They spent a lot of time chatting on the quiet bus and getting to know each other. They have a lot in common – a love of the outdoors, for example. Between shows they also spent time together one-on-one, like going for coffee, just the two of them. Then, if the whole group went for dinner, they would sit together, deep in conversation.”
But it seems the pair want to keep their closeness under wraps. The source added: “If anyone pulled out a phone and started filming, Helen would move away from Vito. She didn’t want to be captured in the background.”
Helen and Richie's eight year marriage ended last year, soon after giving birth to their third child, Elsie. Richie then began a relationship with Stephanie Thirkhill, 32, and they are now expecting a baby.
Helen has said dancing on the BBC show helped her feel “liberated”. She has previously admitted: “I’ve found my confidence on the dance floor.”
Vito joined the show last year and quickly impressed in sizzling routines with the likes of fellow pro Nadiya Bychkova. The source said: “Helen had a great time on tour. It was a fantastic group of people and they had lots of laughs.
“After it ended [last month], she went straight home to her kids then flew to Portugal for a family holiday.
“Vito went to Italy and then to Limassol, Cyprus, for some teaching sessions there. But they’re hoping to catch up when he’s back in the UK.”
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