Strictly star Melanie Walters' Gavin and Stacey co-star reveals Vito Coppola would be her perfect pro partner
Could they end up being a pairing?!Joanna Page has said she thinks Strictly Come Dancing 2026 star Melanie Walters should be paired with professional dancer Vito Coppola on this year’s series.
Joanna also said she thinks Melanie has a useful skill to bring to the show: she is a qualified Pilates instructor.
Melanie was announced as the 15th celebrity in the Strictly Come Dancing 2026 line-up. As she prepares for the competition, her Gavin and Stacey co-star has explained why she thinks Melanie could impress viewers.
Why Joanna Page thinks Melanie Walters could thrive on Strictly
Speaking to Magic Radio, Joanna highlighted Melanie’s flexibility as one reason she could do well on the BBC programme.
She said: “I want to say she’s very flexible, because she is. I don’t know if people know this, but she’s a qualified Pilates instructor so if anybody can do it, Mel can do it.”
Joanna also promised to watch Strictly “every week” to support her former co-star, whom she described as “brilliant”.
“I think she will be absolutely fab on it,” she added.
The Gavin and Stacey star is equally excited to see Melanie wearing Strictly’s glamorous costumes. Remembering a green outfit Melanie wore to an awards event, Joanna predicted: “I know that she will look amazing as well.”
Joanna Page wants Melanie Walters to dance with Vito
As for which Strictly professional should partner Melanie, Joanna has one clear favourite. She backed past winner Vito as her ideal choice.
“I think that Mel would be really good with Vito because he’s just a lovely, lovely fella,” Joanna told Magic Radio.
She went on to praise Vito’s personality and enthusiasm, suggesting the pair could have fun working together during the competition.
Joanna continued: “He’s really nice, really good fun and excitable as well so she’ll be doing some really exciting moves, but she is pretty tall… but no I would have to say Vito, he’s lovely and you just want to have fun and work with him.”
Her comments are a personal endorsement rather than confirmation of a partnership. However, there is no doubt that Vito is the professional Joanna would choose for Melanie.
Melanie Walters joins the Strictly Come Dancing 2026 cast
Melanie is best known to many viewers as Gwen in Gavin and Stacey. Her character is the mother of Stacey, played by Joanna. She has also appeared in cosy murder mystery Death Valley alongside Timothy Spall and Gwyneth Keyworth.
Her fellow Strictly contestants include YouTuber John Nellis, Emmerdale actor Lawrence Robb and Olympic gold medallist Tabitha Stoecker.
Read more: Strictly 2026 stars Lacey Turner and Dani Dyer are favourites to win
The line-up also features Lacey Turner, Dani Dyer, Delta Goodrem, Chris Appleton, Cach Mercer, Will Best, Jaime Winstone, Sarah Storey, Bethany Antonia, Shaun Wright-Phillips and Graeme Hall.
For Joanna, Vito remains the perfect professional to help Melanie take on the competition.
Strictly Come Dancing returns to BBC One and BBC iPlayer this September.
This article was produced with the assistance of AI technology to synthesise source reporting and structured data. It has been reviewed, edited, and fact-checked by our human editorial team before publication.
