Ellie Leach and Vito Coppola are getting closer and closer to the coveted glitterball – but do they have what it takes to go all the way? As the competition heats up on Strictly Come Dancing, the actress has been inundated with support from friends and family, including her famous cousin, and Coronation Street co-star, Brooke Vincent.
One of Ellie's biggest cheerleaders, Brooke, 31, was spotted in the crowds during Movie Week, and she couldn't help but get emotional while watching her cousin's Encanto-inspired Waltz.
Following the epic performance, Brooke invited Ellie onto the Hits Radio Drivetime show, where she had nothing but high praise for the 22-year-old. "We are so, so proud of you and I know how stressful it is and – this is making me a bit teary – because I know how hard it is and how hard you are trying," she said. "You're putting yourself under so much pressure and working so hard."
© InstagramThey may be cousins, but Brooke and Ellie have always felt more like sisters, and in October 2020, Ellie confirmed that she's a godmother to Brooke's oldest son, Mexx, who was born in 2019.
Clearly closer than ever, in 2022, Ellie penned the sweetest caption to mark Brooke's 30th birthday. Posting a throwback snap on Instagram, the Strictly star wrote: "30 years of BLV…when looking back through all the pictures of us from over the years, this one stood out to me the most, it sums us up perfectly!
"All I've wanted to do since I was younger is be like you. To dress like you, to have my hair the way you have yours, to wear the 7 inch platform heels you wore which I still have no idea how, but most of all to be the kind of person you are. Kind, caring, loving, (very) funny and sometimes snappy, we wouldn't change you for the world!
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Ellie added: "You can tell what type of person someone is by how highly people speak of them, and I've never heard a bad word said about you! I think I'll forever be known as Ellie, Brooke's cousin but I will always be so proud to be that and to have you by my side through life! Thank you for being the best role model anyone could ever ask for, and for always looking out for and taking care of me."
Brooke was quick to react to Ellie's message, writing, "I love you so much," alongside endless heart emojis.
The two cousins have always been there for each other, and they also had the rare privilege of acting alongside one another on Coronation Street. While Vincent portrayed Sophie Webster from 2004 to 2019, Ellie landed the role of Faye Windass in 2011, before waving goodbye to the Cobbles earlier this year.
