Strictly Come Dancing winner Ellie Leach has been left “gutted” after a replica of the Glitterball Trophy broke just two weeks after her win on the show.
The former Coronation Street star, 22, who lifted the trophy with her professional dance partner Vito Coppola was given a replica of the trophy to take home following her victory, but its plastic writing has since snapped off. The actor has now reportedly asked her dad to try and repair it.
"Ellie was gutted that she hasn’t been able to show off her trophy after so many of her friends are desperate to hold it. Luckily Ellie’s dad Al is good at fixing things so she gave it to him to put back together. It is her prized possession and she can’t wait to put it up in the house," a source reportedly told The Sun.
After the pair’s victory, Leach wrote on Instagram: “This win is for everyone who feels like they’re not good enough. You are enough. Please be kinder to yourselves and have more belief and find joy in the little things.
“This experience has taught me that giving your best is all you can ask of yourself, worrying about things that are out of your control isn’t going to stop them from happening.
"Saying no because you’re scared is taking away an opportunity from yourself that could end up being great. I am stronger, more resilient and more confident. I have learnt that it’s okay to be kind to yourself when you’re having bad days and good days and I have learnt to cherish every single second of life because you will really see the joy it can bring."
Leach continued to thank her fans in the post, adding: “I can’t thank you enough for your support throughout the series. I can’t believe that every week people voted because they wanted to see us dance again.”
Speaking on ITV’s daytime show, This Morning, a few days after her win, Leach held onto the replica Glitterball trophy and added: “It’s not the Glitterball, but we get our own little ones and, yeah, it’s really really cute and I can’t believe that I’m holding it.”
Ellie Leach and Vito Coppola, during their appearance on the live show on Saturday 16 December— (PA Media)
The Strictly Come Dancing stage was lit up once more as Leach and Coppola went up against Bobby Brazier and Dianne Buswell, and Layton Williams and Nikita Kuzmin in the grand final, which took place on 16 December.
When Leach was announced as the winner of Strictly, she said: “I actually genuinely cannot believe this.”
Ellie Leach and Vito Coppola— (PA Media)
She has become the 21st Strictly champion, and the eighth actor to win the trophy. It’s also a huge triumph for Coppola, who only joined the series last year.
In the final, Leach and Coppola did their Showdance to “Jennifer Lopez Megamix”, their Judges’ Pick was a Paso Doble to “Insomnia” by 2WEI, and their Favourite Dance was the American Smooth to “Ain’t That A Kick In The Head” by Robbie Williams.
The pair received a perfect 40 points for their American Smooth, but they struggledwith the lifts in the Showdance. Judge Shirley Ballas said it was “one of the hardest routines I’ve ever seen”.
The Independent has contacted Ellie Leach’s representative for a comment.
