Helen Skelton shuts down Strictly Come Dancing dating rumours with Vito Coppola

The presenter was coupled up with dancer Gorka Marquez in the 2022 instalment of the competition

Helen Skelton has addressed rumours that she is dating dancer Vito Coppola.

The TV personality, 39, who started her presenting career on Blue Peter, was a finalist in 2022’s instalment of Strictly Come Dancing.

During her BBC Radio 5 Live show on Sunday (5 March), Skelton was teased about the news stories about the rumours.

A newsreader, named Steve, appeared on the show and quipped to the star: “Just looking at the papers... er, the front page of The Mirror is interesting”.

Skelton, who laughed at the joke, thanked him for appearing on the show, and added: “Put the papers down, thank you”.

This was in reference to a report published inThe Daily Mirror that alleged that Coppola and Skelton had grown “close” on the Strictly Come Dancing tour bus.

During her stint on the BBC dancing competition, the Countryfile host was paired up with professional Gorka Marquez, while Coppola competed with radio presenter and musician Fleur East.

It comes as Strictly stars have a long history of forming relationships after competing closely together, like the presenter Stacey Dooley and professional dancer Kevin Clifton, who are expecting a child together.

Skelton competed with partner Gorka Marquez in 2022 (BBC/Guy Levy)

Skelton announced that she and her then-husband Ritchie Myler were getting a divorce in April last year.

“Very sad to say that Richie and I are no longer a couple,” she wrote on Instagram at the time. “He has left the family home. We will be doing our best to co-parent our small children.”

Their youngest child, Elsie, was just four months old at the time. They also share Ernie, seven, and Louis, five.

Since the split, Skelton and the children have moved from Leeds to her parent’s farm in Cumbria.

The Independent has contacted representatives of Skelton for comment.