'Strictly Come Dancing' star Ellie Leach has broken her silence on romance rumours with her professional partner Vito Coppola after a double kiss.
Ellie Leach has insisted she and Vito Coppola are just 'good friends'
The former 'Coronation Street' star, 22, and the 30-year-old Italian hunk sparked speculation they are more than dance partners after their passionate Pasodoble to Faithless's 'Insomnia' during week five.
Vito placed his hands on Ellie's cheek and leaned in for a kiss not once, but twice.
However, the former soap star insists Vito is always giving her a kiss on the cheek and insists they are not an item.
She told OK! Magazine: "It was only a kiss on the cheek. He gives me a kiss on the cheek every Saturday!
"It was definitely on the cheek."
Ellie hopes the pair will remain good friends once the show ends.
She added: "We really, really get along and we have a lovely friendship.
"I hope we can continue that.
"We’ve got a really good relationship where we kind of know what the other needs. Vito even lets me have power naps during training."
Ellie split from her boyfriend in May after he cheated on her, and she previously admitted she was looking forward to putting all her energy into 'Strictly' as she tried to regain confidence in herself.
She told the Daily Mirror newspaper: "Self-confidence is something I’ve always struggled with.
"As an actor, people don’t see that – they think you’re this confident person and you can do anything.
"I’m hoping 'Strictly' will bring that for me, push me and make me realise I’m capable of things."
And she credited Vito with helping her to focus on the positives.
She explained: "Vito has taught me so much already. He tells me, 'It’s a competition with yourself. If you’re tired, fight it, if you’re stressed, fight it'.
"I also don’t praise myself enough, I just focus on the wrong. But then he’ll say to me, 'Yeah, but you just did that…' "
And Ellie - best known for playing Faye Windass on the cobbles - revealed how Vito and the show have helped with her body confidence.
She told The Sun newspaper: "Vito’s keeping me snacked up. We always have snacks on hand, so we’re definitely eating.
“But I think the physical activity side, I can definitely see the impact it’s having.
“The fact that I’ve been dancing on live TV in front of millions of people is crazy to me.
“I do think it gives you a little bit of that confidence to be like, ‘Oh, as if I’ve done that and as if that’s me.' "