Vito Coppola, the Strictly Come Dancing professional who has appeared on the BBC One show since 2022, has for the first time opened up about a devastating struggle with bulimia that began during his late teenage years.
The 33-year-old Italian, an 11-time Latin American Champion, disclosed that toxic criticism about his body from judging panels and competitors in the world of competitive dance drove him towards the eating disorder.
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His condition reached a crisis point in his early twenties when he fainted mid-jive at the World Championships in Toronto, Canada, having been left with no energy.
Mr Coppola is sharing his story publicly ahead of the publication of his memoir, Love, Vito, in an interview with The Sun.
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The competitive dance environment fostered a relentless pressure to conform to an idealised body type, Mr Coppola explained.
He said he always felt he stood out because of his height, broader shoulders and more muscular build compared to most of his peers.
“I felt the judging panels idealised the perfect body structure,” he told The Sun.
“I felt different because I was taller than most, but I had wider shoulders and judges told me my bum was too big and rounded and my legs were too chunky. It can be toxic.”
The constant comparison with other dancers compounded the problem.
Mr Coppola revealed he faced bullying from rival dancers, recalling how he would be reduced to tears when taller male competitors physically shoved or pushed him over.
“I used to cry a lot if another guy was taller and would shove me or push me over, I was always taught not to do that,” he said.
He added: “I had sacrificed so much to get to that point and now it was disappearing through my fingers, like water.”
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“In the competition world, there is always someone better, stronger, faster, slimmer or quicker than you, so you push yourself,” he said.
“I wanted the pleasure of food so I would be eating and then being sick, but in the end that really doesn’t work.”
The dancer continued: “I felt very ashamed. It was a betrayal of my values – I was wasting food. I felt not clean, and I didn’t have much love for myself.”
His family grew increasingly concerned, with his mother realising something was amiss when food parcels she had sent him remained untouched.
The situation eventually reached a breaking point at the World Championships in Toronto.
“I fainted during the jive because I had no energy,” he recalled.
“You push yourself, but being strong means stepping away from a situation that is toxic and is damaging you.”
Mr Coppola has never returned to disordered eating since that pivotal moment in Toronto.
Now in a far healthier place, he wants his experience to serve as a source of support for others facing similar battles.
“I am very empathetic and want to share my experience,” he said. “In order to receive, you have to give.”
The dancer described his current approach to life as a marked departure from those darker days.
“Dancing is an intense activity, but anyone who has danced with me knows that now I am all about regular eating and napping,” he said.
Reflecting on how close he came to a more serious outcome, Mr Coppola added: “It scares me to think I was on a path to developing a full-blown, long-term eating disorder.”
The dancer’s revelation comes after fellow Strictly professional Dianne Buswell previously opened up about her own struggles with an eating disorder and the body-image pressures she experienced during her dancing career.
The Australian dancer has spoken candidly about becoming fixated on her weight and appearance while working as a professional dancer, and has since used her platform to encourage a healthier approach to food and exercise.
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