Ellie Leach and Vito Coppola have continued to fuel romance speculation as they appeared on Strictly Come Dancing spin-off show It Takes Two on Wednesday.
The pair earned praise from Strictly viewers with their passionate paso doble on Saturday night, with many convinced they were close to kissing as they lingered in a hold after the routine ended.
And now, the pair did little to quash speculation as the professional dancer, 31, calling the 22-year-old soap star a “diamond” who was ready for the “perfect ring”.
In a VT filmed during their rehearsals, Coppola said: “I see Ellie like a rough diamond and you see this diamond shining and shining and shining and then it’s ready to be put on the perfect ring.”
The two will perform the quickstep to Belle from Beauty And The Beast for musicals week and discussed their upcoming dance in studio, which saw them putting on a tactile display.
Leach said: “The characterisation is so important because it’s musicals week. We’re trying to focus on that.
“I've found the quickstep really difficult because you’re still in frame, but your feet are moving so fast and you have to try to not step on each other.”
Earlier this month, Leach skirted around the question of whether there was more than a friendship between her Coppola.
“We really, really get along and we have a lovely friendship. I hope we can continue that,” she said.
She added to OK! Magazine: “We’ve got a really good relationship where we kind of know what the other needs. Vito even lets me have power naps during training.”
The star is single after splitting from her boyfriend of five years, Reagan Pettman, who she accused of being unfaithful, in May.
Coppola has also been single since splitting from his ex-girlfriend Arisa last year.
