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Vito Coppola did the cooking on This Morning

Strictly Come Dancing professional Vito Coppola has revealed he will be departing the UK to return to Italy for the Christmas holidays.

The BBC ballroom show star shared details about his festive arrangements during an appearance on ITV’s This Morning on Monday (December 15), reports Wales Online.

The dancer featured on the programme’s cookery segment, where he demonstrated how to make a salmon pasta dish for the show’s hosts Dermot O’Leary and Josie Gibson. During the cooking demonstration, he revealed he would be travelling home to Italy just days before Christmas.

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“Are you going home for Christmas, Vito?” Josie asked, to which the star responded: “Yeah. I go to the Amalfi Coast. And I’ll go to the beach with my dog and my Nonno.”

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Vito did the cooking on This Morning

“What a life,” Josie remarked, whilst her co-host Dermot asked: “When will you go?”

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“The 23rd,” Vito confirmed. “Lots of food, lots of playing, games, cards.”

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Whilst he worked in the This Morning kitchen, Josie observed that he always appeared “so happy”, commenting: “Honestly, you light up a room.”

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“Because I love, you know, food and we love sharing in Italy,” Vito explained. “And it’s a magic time of the year.”

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Dermot and Josie hosted the show

He mentioned that the recipe he was preparing was a traditional family dish.

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“Because in Italy we used to make, like, you know, food, like, with fish and seafood for the Christmas season,” he told the TV stars. “And then we go on the meat, mozzarella, and the stuff on the 25th.”

Vito also shared his thoughts on the latest series of Strictly.

He was partnered with Ellie Goldstein, who broke new ground as the programme’s first contestant with Down syndrome, though the duo have since been voted off. Amber Davies, George Clarke, and Karen Carney have secured their places in the final.

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When asked about his experience this series, he responded: “Amazing. And you know, I’ve got now a little sister forever.”

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Vito danced with Ellie Goldstein on Strictly(Image: Guy Levy/BBC/PA)

Audiences expressed their delight at watching Vito take part in the cooking segment on the programme. “I want Vito for Christmas,” one viewer commented on X, formerly Twitter.

“Ooo! Vito,” remarked another, whilst someone else wrote: “Got to love Vito Coppola.”

“Looks quite nice that!” another viewer observed, as Vito showcased his culinary creation.