Ellie Leach looks preoccupied as she checks her phone after friends reveal her ‘secret dates’ with Strictly Come Dancing co-star Bobby Brazier

Strictly Come Dancing winner Ellie Leach ventured into stormy Newcastle on Wednesday as her new romance with Bobby Brazier was revealed.

The actress checked phone messages outside her hotel during a postponement of Strictly’s tour schedule and its current stop in North East England.

Leach, 22, won the BBC show’s coveted Glitter Ball in December together with Italian ballroom professional Vito Coppola.

Her tactile chemistry with Coppola during weekly appearances on the talent show sparked persistent romance rumors, but sources claim she has since developed a close relationship with fellow finalist Brazier, 20.

The EastEnders star was not present when Leach appeared in Newcastle, wearing a faux leather trench coat, black jeans and matching Ugg boots.

The actress, best known for her role as Faye Windass in Coronation Street, looked concerned as she checked her phone before returning to her hotel.

Hours later, sources revealed the actress had enjoyed a series of ‘secret dates’ with Brazier while taking part in the annual Strictly Come Dancing tour.

A source said The sun how the pair have kissed and gone on secret dates during their breaks between performances.

They said: ‘Bobby and Ellie are the talk of the town. Their friendship has continued to grow, and they spend almost all their free time together before and after performances.”

‘They ate together and flirted more and more openly. The talk on tour is that they may have enjoyed a cheeky kiss, and will now make their romance public every week.”

Representatives for Leach and Brazier have been contacted by MailOnline for comment.

On Tuesday night, the actress shared an Instagram selfie of herself cuddling up to Brazier while en route from Birmingham to Sheffield.

Also on Tuesday, pro dancer Nikita Kuzmin posted a photo of the couple dining backstage one night on tour, Brazier’s arm draped around the back of her chair.

Leach and Brazier were previously pictured enjoying time away from their Strictly co-stars on a low-key date in Nandos and arrived together at their hotel in Sheffield earlier this week.

The two youngest Strictly stars reportedly partied until 3am after the opening night of their UK tour – just hours before they were due to perform again.

Both Leach and Brazier are said to be among a group of stars who let loose at a luxury hotel party after their first live show at Birmingham’s Utilita Arena, according to The Sun.

Strictly speaking, bosses reportedly spent £3,000 renting an entire floor at Birmingham’s Malmaison hotel for celebrations when the tour started.

After a three-course meal and drinks, the party really started as they danced around until the early hours to tunes played over the phone.

But after staying up until 3am, they had a matinee performance on Saturday at 2.30pm and then a second show at 7pm.

Leach and her professional show partner Coppola were crowned Strictly champions last year, with the pair repeatedly dogged by romance rumors throughout the series.

The former Coronation Street actress became the show’s youngest ever winner when she topped Brazier and Layton Williams.

However, the pair made their relationship status clear last week, with Vito insisting they are ‘not going anywhere’ but confirming they are just good friends.

Speaking to The Mirror, he said: ‘We have a great relationship and honestly if you just find people, not just me and Ellie, but their family that I love.

“You just find these people that you think are going to be in my life forever, in each other’s lives, and in the whole family and the dogs.”

“We’re not going anywhere, don’t worry, I’m going to annoy you every day, every week and every year,” he added.

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

Brazier divorced his model girlfriend Liberty Love last year and was briefly linked to fashion consultant Boadecia Evans.

Speaking to presenter Claudia Winkleman during one of Strictly’s live shows, he revealed he was sharing a bed with someone and had woken them up by performing a dance move.

He said: ‘I woke up at one point doing this… I woke myself up doing that, and the week before the person I was sharing a bed with turned around and said this is the industrial twist …’

There was also speculation about Brazier’s relationship with his dance partner Dianne Buswell, who is fourteen years his senior, after he referred to her as his ‘Juliet’.

However, Buswell’s romance with former Strictly partner and YouTube star Joe Sugg, 32, is still going strong.