BBC Strictly Come Dancing's Vito Coppola says it's 'hard to smile' amid training with Ellie Leach

Vito Coppola has given a glimpse at the toll preparing for the Strictly Come Dancing semi-final is having on him as he shared his latest update on social media. The Italian dancer is training celebrity dance partner Ellie Leach for not one but two dances this weekend after they made it to the penultimate week of the competition.

Former Coronation Street star Ellie and her professional dance partner Vito were seen back in the ballroom on Saturday night which wasn't just the quarter-finals but also the Musicals week special. The actress and the Italian professional dancer performed a quickstep to the song Belle from Beauty And The Beast.

But they weren't competing for a place in this Saturday's (December 9) semi-final as actor Nigel Harman's sudden exit through injury meant there was no public vote and subsequent elimination so the remaining four couples automatically made it through with the judges' scores carried over into the next live show.

READ MORE: BBC Strictly Come Dancing's Vito Coppola declares 'I'm in love' as hidden message to Ellie Leach uncovered

READ MORE: Read more of today's top stories from the Manchester Evening News

Ellie, 22, and Vito, 31, are now set to perform Cha-Cha to the Bette Midler version of 'Mambo Italiano', and a Couples' Choice dance to a Dua Lipa medley in the penultimate week of the competition with a week to go until the grand final on Saturday, December 16.

Taking to Instagram on Thursday morning (December 7), Vito appeared to be struggling to wake up as he travelled in the back of a car, presumably to get back to work. He confirmed it was 6.30am and typed alongside the clip of him struggling to open his eyes as he snuggled into his coat: "It's hard for me to say good morning if