Strictly star Vito Coppola reveals bullying led to bulimia

Strictly pro Vito Coppola has revealed that he experienced bulimia after facing criticism about his body in the competitive dance world.
The Strictly Come Dancing professional said he fainted during a jive because he had no energy.
The subject has also affected fellow Strictly professional Dianne Buswell, who has discussed bulimia and body-image pressures in dance. Vito said his own difficulties began in his late teens as he faced comments from judges and rivals, calling it “toxic”.
Speaking to The Sun ahead of the release of his food memoir, Love, Vito, the 33-year-old said he wanted to open up about the difficult period for the first time.

Strictly’s Vito Coppola is a favourite on the dancefloor (Credit: Shutterstock)

Strictly star Vito Coppola says dance pressure resulted in bulimia
Vito described an environment in which dancers constantly compared themselves with people who appeared slimmer, stronger or faster. He said judges criticised his legs and bottom, while he claimed other competitors bullied and pushed him.
The dancer told The Sun: “Once it becomes an ingrained habit, bulimia — that act of bingeing on food and purging it — is so serious and potentially life-threatening.”
He said he binged and purged for several months. The behaviour left him feeling ashamed and conflicted because of the importance his family placed on food.
Vito added: “I felt not clean and I didn’t have much love for myself.”
Vito linked one alarming incident in his early twenties to his lack of energy. He fainted while dancing a jive at the World Championships in Toronto, Canada.
He recalled: “I fainted during the jive because I had no energy.”
The experience helped him recognise the damage that the competitive environment and his eating habits had caused. He said real strength sometimes meant leaving a harmful situation rather than continuing to push through it.

Vito Coppola gets ready for Strictly rehearsals (Credit: Shutterstock)