Vito Coppola shares BBC Strictly tour replacement as he’s forced to miss shows after injury
Strictly Come Dancing professional Vito Coppola has been forced to withdraw from the opening shows of the live tour due to a lower back injury, with fellow dancer Nikita Kuzmin stepping in as his replacement.
The 32-year-old dancer, who reached the final of the most recent series with partner Sarah Hadland, will miss the tour’s launch in Birmingham this Friday.
Speaking on Monday, Coppola confirmed he would be absent for the first three shows of the nationwide tour.
Kuzmin, who partnered with Olympic hockey player Sam Quek in the latest series, will temporarily take Coppola’s place alongside Hadland for the opening performances.
“I have a little injury,” Coppola told This Morning hosts Ben Shephard and Cat Deeley. “We are used to having a little bit of pain in the body.”
The professional dancer explained that while he can walk and move, his current condition prevents him from performing more demanding routines.
“Going to dance full on? Lifting and sharp twists of the body, it’s better, at the moment, to have a little rest,” he said.
Shephard had noticed Coppola’s gestures during the interview and questioned whether it was a back issue.
The dancer confirmed it was “like a lower back pain at the moment” that required attention before returning to the dance floor.
The dancer expressed optimism about rejoining the tour when it reaches Sheffield towards the end of January.
“Hopefully I will be able to dance again from the Sheffield shows,” he told ITV viewers.
The dancer revealed he has scheduled physiotherapy appointments and assessments this week as part of his recovery plan.
Despite his temporary absence, Coppola remained supportive of his partner Sarah Hadland’s upcoming performances with Kuzmin.
“In the meantime, you will have the best experience, and you will love (your) first show in Birmingham,” he assured Hadland during the morning show appearance.
Hadland noted during the interview that Coppola was struggling to remain still, with the injured dancer admitting: “Looking at the rehearsals, I really want to jump in with the dancing!”
Coppola is not the only notable absence from the Strictly live tour this year.
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Reigning champion Chris McCausland will be unable to participate due to commitments with his stand-up comedy tour.
Speaking on This Morning about missing the tour, McCausland said: “It’s fine to have two different feelings about the same thing.
“I would’ve loved to have done more dancing with Dianne, and it would’ve been a lot of fun, but also I’m very lucky to have people want to watch me do stand-up.”
The Strictly live tour will run from January 17 until February 9.
Shows will take place across nine cities, including Birmingham, Sheffield, Newcastle, Glasgow, Liverpool, Leeds, Manchester, Nottingham and London.