The Strictly Come Dancing semi-final is just around the corner, and this year’s remaining pairs are busy honing their dance moves. With only five celebrities left in the competition, they’re all vying for a spot in the final on Saturday, 14 December.
Vito Coppola and his celebrity partner Sarah Hadland offered viewers a sneak peek of their intense practice routine ahead of the semi-final. The pair featured on BBC’s Morning Live to talk about their rehearsals on Thursday, 5 December.
In a video-link interview from their rehearsal room, 33 year old Vito shared that Sarah, aged 53, often struggled to take breaks. As a result, he’s had to make her rest, reports the Express.
He said: “We just have to kind of divide the time. We have to optimise the time. We even have to schedule the 10 minutes break, the 5 minute nap in between.”
Sarah jumped into the conversation, adding: “Actually, yesterday Vito got out his pillow and his coat, and he went ‘just have a nap’. Because, even when we’re meant to be having a break I tend to go off.”
Vito continued by exposing Sarah’s inability to stop during rest periods, saying: “Yes, this is your moment to chill, to rest, to collect the energy. She’s just going around, jumping a little bit, speaking, singing.”
He then added: “I said no, no, no, you really have to sit on the floor. I have a pillow with me. Take my pillow. Just close your eyes.”
Vito Coppola wrapped up his conversation by sharing his enthusiasm for his time on Strictly Come Dancing with Sarah, saying: “It’s just amazing, honestly,” and expressing that he was “so grateful”.
Vito and Sarah are set to face off against Tasha Ghouri and Aljaž Škorjanec, Chris McCausland and Dianne Buswell, JB Gill and Lauren Oakley, as well as Pete Wicks and Jowita Przystał in the semi-final. Each duo will take on two dances in the hopes of being one of the four couples to make it through to next week’s final.
Morning Live airs from 9.30am on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.