Ellie Leach has admitted Strictly Come Dancing 'changed her for the better' as she has learnt to 'embrace the unknown' following her stint on the competition. 

The former actress became the youngest person to lift the coveted Glitterball trophy at just 22 years old when she won the show alongside her partner Vito Coppola. 

Joining Jon Kay and Sally Nugent on Tuesday's Breakfast, Ellie and Vito reflected on their time on the show.

Ellie explained: 'Strictly has changed my life so much I didn't know how much I would have learnt. It's really changed me for the better. 

'It was the unknown and I tried to embrace the experience and that is what worked.

I'm more like that now, I'll say yes to more things so I'm not stuck wondering "What if?"'

Ellie Leach, 22, has admitted Strictly Come Dancing 'changed her for the better' as she has learnt to 'embrace the unknown' following her stint on the competition

The actress became the youngest person to lift the coveted Glitterball trophy at just 22 years old when she won the show alongside her partner Vito Coppola

Vito exclaimed: 'We are still in our bubble we can't believe its real! Straight after strictly finished it was C so we didn't have time to process it.'

Elsewhere, Ellie admitted she had 'broken her Glitterball Trophy' just weeks after she won the prized possession. 

She continued: 'It's all fixed now. My dad took it to his shed and he's fixed it. I had to get all my things from London to Manchester on the train and it broke in my bag. 

'My dad is obsessed with it and whenever someone comes round he's like, "Do you want a photo with it?"'

Ellie and Vito recently reunited for the  Live! tour, with the actress adding: 'It's been so good.

It's been different from the show and weird to be in an arena where you can see all the thousands of people watching. 

Vito explained: 'You have thousands of people and they have all come to watch you. We are so grateful. We have a little moment backstage and we hold hands and say "ok, lets do this."

'It's the best way to show gratitude to all the thousands of people, to give a good show.'

The appearance comes after  and  clarified their

Ellie explained: 'Strictly has changed my life so much I didn't know how much I would have learnt.

It's really changed me for the better. It was the unknown'

She added: 'I'll say yes to more things so I'm not stuck wondering "What if?"'

The actress and her professional dance partner have been hit by romance rumours ever since they began on Strictly in September 2023.

Now, they have opened up on their close bond as Vito insisted they are 'going nowhere', but confirmed they are just good friends.

Speaking to the

, he said: 'We have a great relationship and honestly when you just find people, not just me and Ellie but their family which I love. 

'You just find these people that you think are going to stay in my life forever, in each others lives forever, and all the family and the dogs.'

When asked if they meant as friends, the pair confirmed that they are just good friends as they gave an insight into their close bond.