Who Won Strictly 2023 – Ellie Leach Wins the Glitterball Trophy

The glitterball trophy for 2023 has a new home. Ellie Leach, known for her role on Coronation Street, and her professional partner Vito Coppola were crowned champions of Strictly Come Dancing on Saturday, 16 December 2023. The win marked a memorable end to the 21st series of the BBC One competition.

Leach, 22, became the eighth actor to win the show, securing the title in a dramatic final that relied entirely on the public vote. Her emotional reaction upon hearing the result—”I actually genuinely cannot believe this,” she told hosts Claudia Winkleman and Tess Daly—captured the surprise of the night.

Who Won Strictly Come Dancing in 2023?

Ellie Leach and Vito Coppola won Strictly Come Dancing 2023. The final aired live on BBC One on 16 December 2023, with the result confirmed by the broadcaster that evening.

Key insights from the 2023 victory include:

• Ellie Leach was a dark horse—not a professional dancer but delivered consistent high scores throughout the series.
• Her partnership with Vito Coppola was widely praised for its chemistry and choreography.
• The 2023 final had no dance-off; the winner was decided solely by public vote.
• Leach is the third soap actor to win in five years, following Rose Ayling-Ellis and Kelvin Fletcher.
• Despite finishing with the lowest judges’ score of the three finalists (115 out of 120), Ellie and Vito won through audience votes.
• Vito Coppola claimed the Glitterball Trophy in only his second year as a professional on the show.

Who Was the Professional Partner of the 2023 Winner?

Ellie Leach was partnered with professional dancer Vito Coppola. Coppola joined the Strictly Come Dancing professional lineup in 2022, making this his first championship win on the show. According to the official BBC Strictly page, the pairing was notable for their strong connection from the early weeks of the competition.

Who Were the Finalists and Runner-Up in the Strictly 2023 Final?

Three couples competed in the grand finale. The final required each pair to perform three dances: a Showdance, a Judges’ Pick, and their Favourite Dance of the series.

Final Rankings

First Place: Ellie Leach & Vito Coppola earned a judges’ score of 115 out of 120. Their Showdance was set to a Jennifer Lopez Megamix, their Judges’ Pick was a Paso Doble to “Insomnia” by 2WEI, and their Favourite Dance was an American Smooth to “Ain’t That A Kick In The Head” by Robbie Williams.

Second Place: Layton Williams & Nikita Kuzmin scored the highest of the night with 119 out of 120. They performed a Showdance to “Friend Like Me” by Ne-Yo, a Quickstep to “Puttin’ On The Ritz”, and a Tango to “Tattoo”.

Third Place: Bobby Brazier & Dianne Buswell scored 117 out of 120. Their Showdance was a La La Land medley, their Judges’ Pick was a Samba to “Young Hearts Run Free”, and their Favourite Dance was a Couple’s Choice to “This Woman’s Work”.

Who Won Strictly in Previous Years (2022, 2024, and 2025)?

The Strictly Come Dancing winners list provides useful context for Leach’s 2023 victory. According to the Wikipedia page for the series, recent champions include:

• 2022: Hamza Yassin and Jowita Przystał won series 20.
• 2024: Chris McCausland and Dianne Buswell won series 22.
• 2025: The winner of series 23 has not yet been determined as of the time of writing.
• 2021: Rose Ayling-Ellis and Giovanni Pernice won series 19.
• 2019: Kelvin Fletcher and Oti Mabuse won series 17.

Ellie Leach is the youngest female winner in Strictly history, aged 22 at the time of her win, as confirmed by The National.

Timeline of the 2023 Final and Key Season Moments

The journey to the Glitterball Trophy followed a structured path through the autumn of 2023:

1. September 2023: Series 21 launches with 15 couples.
2. October–December 2023: Week-by-week eliminations take place, narrowing the field to three finalists.
3. 9 December 2023: Semi-final week; Ellie and Vito secure a perfect score.
4. 16 December 2023: The grand final airs live. Each couple performs three dances: Showdance, Judges’ Pick, and Favourite Dance.
5. 16 December 2023 (end of broadcast): Ellie Leach and Vito Coppola are announced as winners by hosts Claudia Winkleman and Tess Daly.

Fan reactions to the result were mixed, as noted by Examiner Live, with some viewers surprised that the couple with the lowest judges’ score ultimately won.

What Is Confirmed and What Remains Unclear About the 2023 Result?

What Does the 2023 Win Mean in the Context of Strictly History?

Ellie Leach’s victory places her within a notable tradition of actor-winners. She is the eighth actor to lift the Glitterball Trophy, and the third soap star to win in five years. The 2023 series was widely noted for its high standard of choreography, with multiple perfect scores awarded across the weeks.

Vito Coppola’s win is also significant: he claimed the championship in only his second year as a professional on the show. Bobby Brazier’s runner-up finish reflected strong public support, likely bolstered by his own EastEnders fan base. The 2023 final’s pure public vote format—without a dance-off—underscored the importance of audience engagement in determining the champion.

What Did the Winner and Judges Say After the Final?

Ellie Leach’s immediate reaction was captured live on air. Speaking to hosts Claudia Winkleman and Tess Daly, she said: “I actually genuinely cannot believe this.” Her family celebrated enthusiastically in the audience, as reported by BBC News.

While no direct quotes from the judges post-final were widely circulated, the judging panel—Shirley Ballas, Anton Du Beke, Craig Revel Horwood, and Motsi Mabuse—had given Leach a combined score of 115 out of 120 for her three final dances.

Summary: Who Won Strictly 2023?

Ellie Leach and Vito Coppola won Strictly Come Dancing 2023, defeating runners-up Bobby Brazier and Layton Williams. The final aired on 16 December 2023, with the winner determined entirely by public vote. Leach, 22, became the youngest female champion in the show’s history. For a full breakdown of the final scores and performances, see our article on Strictly Come Dancing 2023: Winner Ellie Leach and Vito Coppola – Final Results.

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