Vito Coppola, the talented Italian dancer who made it to the final of *Strictly Come Dancing* last year, 

has announced that he will be temporarily stepping back from the beginning of the 2025 *Strictly Come Dancing* live tour. 

The 32-year-old professional dancer has been dealing with ongoing back pain, which has led him to seek physiotherapy treatment. 

As a result, he will not perform in the tour’s opening shows but remains hopeful that he will return to the stage by January 21 in Sheffield.

Coppola, who was paired with actress Sarah Hadland for the 2024 series of *Strictly Come Dancing*, 

had initially planned to join her for the live tour, which kicked off in Birmingham on January 12. 

However, his recent injury, described as lower back pain, has made some movements difficult, prompting him to take a step back and focus on his recovery. Despite the setback, Vito remained positive about the situation and expressed confidence that his rest and treatment would allow him to resume dancing soon.

During an appearance on ITV’s *This Morning* alongside Hadland, Vito explained the nature of his injury. “It’s a dancer thing,” he said, acknowledging that many dancers experience similar aches and pains due to the physical demands of their profession. He continued, “At the moment, I will be replaced by Nikita [Kuzmin], and he will dance with Sarah. He’ll lift you around because I’ve got a little injury.” Vito clarified that while he could still walk and move around, certain sharp movements were too challenging, so he needed to take a break and focus on physiotherapy.

Although Vito will miss the first part of the tour, he is optimistic about returning to the stage in Sheffield. “Hopefully, I will be able to dance on tour in the arena from Sheffield,” he said. “I’m going to do all the physio and treatment this week to make sure I’m ready.” Vito assured Hadland that they would reunite soon for the rest of the tour, emphasizing that she would have a wonderful experience in Birmingham despite his absence.

To fill Vito’s shoes at the start of the tour, fellow *Strictly* professional Nikita Kuzmin will step in to partner with Sarah Hadland. Kuzmin, who was paired with Olympic hockey player Sam Quek for the 2024 series, is no stranger to performing in front of live audiences and will bring his expertise to the stage. Despite Vito’s absence, Sarah and the rest of the tour’s performers are set to deliver an unforgettable experience for fans.

The *Strictly Come Dancing* live tour, which began on January 12 in Birmingham, features a star-studded lineup of celebrities and professional dancers. Among those taking part are Love Island star Tasha Ghouri, JLS singer JB Gill, EastEnders actor Jamie Borthwick, opera singer Wynne Evans, *The X Factor* winner Shayne Ward, and Gladiators star Montell Douglas. The tour will run until February 9, with performances in cities such as Sheffield, Newcastle, Glasgow, Liverpool, Leeds, Manchester, and Nottingham, before culminating with a final show at London’s O2 Arena.

Throughout the tour, the *Strictly* judges – Shirley Ballas, Anton Du Beke, Craig Revel Horwood, and Motsi Mabuse – will be offering their professional insights and scores on the performances. Audiences will also play a part in the event, voting to determine the winner of the coveted glitterball trophy at the end of each show. For the first time, the live tour will also include a British Sign Language interpreter at every performance, ensuring that the event is accessible to a wider audience.

Vito Coppola has had an impressive year, having lifted the Glitterball trophy in 2023 alongside former *Coronation Street* actress Ellie Leach. The couple’s victory in the series was followed by a successful stint on the live tour. In addition to his *Strictly* success, Vito also recently triumphed in the celebrity cooking competition *Celebrity MasterChef*, where he wowed the judges with his Italian menu.

While his back injury may be preventing him from taking part in the opening shows of the tour, Vito’s fans can rest assured that he is determined to return to the stage and continue dazzling audiences with his exceptional dancing talent.

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