Strictly Come Dancing star Jowita Przystal ‘is dating fellow professional Vito Coppola’ and friends claim the ‘chemistry on set is palpable’ – after she was linked to Pete Wicks

Strictly professionals Jowita Przystal and Vito Coppola are reportedly dating after sharing great chemistry behind the scenes on the BBC series.

Polish star Jowita, 30, who previously dated co-star Giovanni Pernice, 34, is now said to have been wooed by the Italian dancer, 32.

Jowita and Vito sparked romance rumors earlier this year during the Strictly Come Dancing: The Professionals live UK tour.

A source has now said this The sun: ‘There are several affairs going on under the radar this year, but behind the scenes there is talk.

‘The chemistry on set is palpable. But Vito has a lot of respect for Jowita and tries to woo her all series.

‘Now that her partner Pete Wicks is no longer there to distract her, Vito can finally take center stage. The Strictly Come Dancing tour will be vibrant next year,” she added.

MailOnline has contacted the BBC and representatives for both Jowita and Vito for comment.

The news comes after Vito suffered a very awkward wardrobe malfunction during Saturday’s live final.

The dancer had to desperately struggle to keep his trousers up after the button apparently popped on his costume during American Smooth with Miranda star Sarah Hadland, 53.

Still giving the routine his due, the former winner was forced to quickly return his hand to his waist in an attempt to avoid getting a rather red face.

After the dance, Sarah became hysterical after realizing the problem, with host Tess Daly, 55, declaring: ‘We have a clothing problem! Can you maintain your decency?’.

Giggling, the dancer did everything he could to cover up the accident before the judges gave the performance a very impressive 39 out of 40.

Chris McCausland and his professional partner Dianne Buswell have been crowned 2024 champions after the comedian made history as the show’s first blind contestant.

Chris, 47, edged his fellow finalists in the ‘best ever’ final on Saturday, with his cheeky humor and inspiring story helping save the show after a year of scandal.

The final, which received the highest number of public votes ever, saw all the couples perform three dances each for the judges before presenters Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman announced Chris as the winner of the glitterball trophy.

The funnyman burst into tears as he was hugged by his fellow celebrities, before triumphantly throwing Dianne over his shoulder as the crowd went wild.

When asked by Tess and Claudia how the moment felt, Chris said: ‘It’s amazing, I don’t know what to say. I honestly thought I was going to date for the first week or two and I know no one went out the first week, but I still thought I could do it.

‘We just endured and endured and [Dianne] has gotten so much out of me and she deserves that [the trophy] so much,” as he then gushed over her “positivity” and “faith.”

He then joked, “Unless she changes her number, she’s stuck with me.” This is for [Dianne] and everyone out there, it just goes to show that with the opportunity and support, anything is possible!”

Chris achieved his first perfect score of 40 points for a waltz to You’ll Never Walk Alone by Gerry and the Pacemakers, which was his final dance of the series and left the judges and viewers in tears.

His second routine was a mash-up of dance styles to New Radicals’ You Get What You Give and he recreated his viral ‘blackout’ moment for the first dance.

Chris and Dianne also danced to their own tune – Instant Karma! (We All Shine On) by John Lennon.

Earlier in the show, Chris said: “I hope so [me being on Strictly] will make a difference in people’s attitudes towards the blind and disabled.

‘When I started this, my daughter was very nervous, she is eleven, and I think she fed my fears and worries, but she enjoyed watching me and she is very proud.

‘I have learned that I am more resilient. I think it will take a lot more to scare me in the future and something doesn’t have to be perfect to be a success.

With a dark cloud hanging over Strictly since January, when 2023 contestant Amanda Abbington first came forward with her complaints about professional partner Giovanni Pernice, Chris has brought bundles of joy to viewers of the controversial show.

The show was then hit by a new wave of scandal when Graziano Di Prima was sacked in July for ‘kicking’ his partner, Love Island star Zara McDermott.

Giovanni was cleared of ten of Amanda’s sixteen allegations when the BBC investigation concluded in September, but remained absent for the current edition of the series.

After his abrupt departure from the programme, Giovanni appeared in the Italian version of Strictly.

Despite bosses finding Giovanni not to be threatening or physically abusive, a number of Amanda’s complaints of verbal bullying and intimidation were upheld.

The BBC also agreed with Amanda that it seemed like he sometimes gave her overly negative feedback.

In a written statement, a spokesperson for Giovanni said: ‘We are pleased that this six-month review did not find any evidence of threatening or abusive behavior from Giovanni.

‘Giovanni is relieved that the vast majority of allegations made to the BBC have not been confirmed and looks forward to continuing his work on Dancing With The Stars in Italy this season.’

Following Chris’ spectacular win, Steven Morris from disability charity Sense said: ‘Chris’ historic win on Strictly Come Dancing shows that, given opportunities and support, people with disabilities can break down barriers that many wrongly believe are not possible. ‘

Kerry Bevan from Guide Dogs UK agreed, saying: ‘Chris and Dianne are deserving winners and it’s even more poignant that this milestone took place during Strictly’s 20th anniversary. Dianne has been a shining example of how we can all take steps to make the world a more inclusive and accessible place.”

During the action-packed show, the judges handed out numerous A’s, and each celebrity was left emotional as they talked about how much they had loved performing on the BBC show.