Strictly's Ellie and Vito still dancing together every week

14 hours ago

Charlie JonesEssex

Ellie Goldstein Vito wearing a cream jumper cuddles Ellie, who is grinning at the camera Ellie Goldstein

Vito Coppola and Ellie Goldstein say they will be friends for life after being paired up on Strictly Come Dancing

Ellie Goldstein's mother was told she would never walk or talk. Now she has danced on Strictly Come Dancing and graced the cover of Vogue. What is next for the 24-year-old?

"The phone rang, it was my agent, and she told me I was going to be on Strictly. I just started screaming."

Ellie is beaming as she talks from her home in Essex about the phone call she had dreamed about for years.

But it was not a surprise to her - she manifested it. "I said to mum that I would make Strictly happen," she says.

Yvonne raised her daughter to believe that she could achieve anything.

She went on to model, working with Vogue, Gucci, and Adidas, before she was noticed by the producers of BBC One's Strictly Come Dancing.

Adama Jalloh/British Vogue Ellie in a red and white striped dress on the cover of Vogue. She is looking into the camera and smiling Adama Jalloh/British Vogue

Ellie made history as the first person with Down's syndrome to feature on the cover of Vogue

A still from the TV programme, with Ellie in a hat, floral dress and green cardigan. She is facing another person, seen from behind, who is out of focus and in the foreground of the shot

She has also been nominated for an Emmy for her role on Malory Towers

Ellie had also filmed her first acting role, as Nancy in the BBC series Malory Towers, for which she has just been nominated for an Emmy award.

"I wanted to be on Vogue, and that happened. I wanted to act, and I got the part on Malory Towers, but Strictly was my big dream," she adds.

When she got the call, she had already proved so many people wrong.

On the day Ellie was born, her mother Yvonne was told her daughter had Down's syndrome and would never amount to much.

"A nurse asked me if I wanted to leave Ellie at the hospital," she says.

Ellie had to have open heart surgery when she was five months old.

"It was an 11-hour operation. I remember walking round London in silence, just willing the time away," Yvonne says.

Ellie Goldstein Ellie as a baby wrapped up in a blanket. A teddy bear with a bow around its next is in the corner Ellie Goldstein

When Ellie was born 24 years ago, doctors said she would never walk or talk

Ellie Goldstein Yvonne and Ellie taking a selfie and smiling Ellie Goldstein

Yvonne has raised Ellie to believe she can achieve anything

More than two decades on, Yvonne hopes attitudes have changed, and parents would never be treated in the same way today.

"One of the reasons I'm so proud of what Ellie has achieved is that she is helping to change how others see people with learning disabilities," Yvonne says.

Ellie has had hundreds of messages over the last few months from families who have relatives with Down's syndrome.

"They say I've inspired them, and that makes me happy. I want to show that having Down's sydrome doesn't stop you," she says.

When Ellie dreamed of being on Strictly, she originally hoped to be paired with professional dancer Nikita Kuzmin. But as soon as she met Vito Coppola, she "knew he would be a friend for life".

Ellie was very nervous backstage before every show, but Vito, who she calls her brother, constantly reassured her.

"I would be crying backstage, and Vito would be helping me and telling me everything would be OK," she says.

Ellie found the training tiring, but Vito would make her "pasta and wraps" and cuddle her when she struggled.

Ellie is wearing a gold sparkly dress and trainers. Her feet are off the ground as she is spun around by Vito, who is wearing dark trousers and a dark top. Ellie's name is in lights in the background, with the Strictly band sitting below

Ellie says Strictly Come Dancing made her dreams come true

Ellie and Vito dancing in the Strictly studio with the band behind them. Ellie is dressed as Emma Bunton, wearing a pink dress and a blonde wig with bunches. Vito is dressed in a white vest, blue tracksuit jacket and matching shorts

She loved performing as a Spice Girl and received messages and gifts from the band

Ellie was voted out in week six, Halloween week, after dancing a tango to Lady Gaga's Abracadabra.

She was sad at first, but says it was her favourite dance and, most importantly, her connection with Vito shows no sign of stopping.

The pair have still been dancing together every week, and he leaves her voice notes most nights.

"We're learning all the dances we didn't get to do, and we're going to go bowling and to Nando's soon," she says.

Ellie Goldstein Ellie wearing pink takes a smiling selfie with Vito Ellie Goldstein

Ellie and Vito will be dancing in front of audiences again soon

Next up is the Strictly tour, which she "can't wait" for. "I really hope I can finally get a 10 from the judges, especially from Craig because he's my favourite," she says.

In March, she is hoping to go to the Emmy awards ceremony in New York and is manifesting a win in the category of outstanding supporting performer.

It was a "huge shock" when she found out she had been nominated. "It was my first ever acting role, and it was a beautiful experience," she adds.

Ellie would love to do a pantomime or a musical next, but her main goal is TV presenting.

With a cheeky grin on her face, she says: "I want to be Tess and present Strictly Come Dancing! I told the BBC producers, so maybe it will happen."

Whether on the dancefloor, the stage or presenting Strictly, Ellie is just getting started.

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Strictly's Ellie and Vito still dancing together every week