BBC Breakfast Tension as Strictly Star Vito Coppola Jokingly Snubs Ben Thompson Over Pizza Debate
The atmosphere on BBC Breakfast turned icy when Strictly Come Dancing star Vito Coppola playfully told presenter Ben Thompson, “I don’t know if I want to talk to you again.”
Vito Coppola joined Ben Thompson and Sally Nugent on the iconic red sofa on Monday, August 19, to share his experiences in the Celebrity MasterChef kitchen, where he navigated the culinary challenges set by judges John Torode and Gregg Wallace,  reports the Mirror.
However, the conversation took a frosty turn when the topic shifted to the British interpretation of Italian cuisine. Ben kicked off the playful banter by asking, “We Brits love Italian food, but it’s probably not that authentic sometimes. There are quite a lot of British crimes against Italian food. So go on, what’s the worst?”
Vito didn’t hesitate to respond, saying, “The worst is between the cream in the carbonara and the pineapple on the pizza. Maybe it’s pineapple on pizza.” This revelation didn’t sit well with Ben, who confessed, “I love pineapple on pizza!” To his surprise, even co-host Sally wasn’t on his side, quipping, “You don’t!”
Vito, clearly shocked, humorously retorted, “No! Do you eat the pineapple on the pizza? I don’t know if I want to talk to you again.” Unfazed, Ben defended his stance: “Ham and pineapple pizza? It’s amazing!” But Vito wasn’t convinced, arguing, “You know why? Because pizza is pizza. You know what I mean? I don’t put chocolate cream on fish and chips, I don’t do that! So why do we have to put pineapple on the pizza? It’s so beautiful with the sauce, the tomato, and the mozzarella.”
Ben persisted, saying, “It’s just a little bit sweet!” to which Vito dramatically responded, “Why? Why? I’m almost crying because of this.” Shifting gears, Vito also touched on the recent Strictly dynamics, emphasizing that both the professional dancers and celebrities form a “big family” who “support each other.” He expressed excitement for the upcoming season, noting, “This year is going to be a beautiful year because it’s the 20th anniversary of Strictly.”
Vito maintained his optimism, saying, “Every year I say, ‘This is the best year.’ And the next year, there is something even better! It’s so surprising, something you don’t expect.” While he hinted at surprises in store for the audience, Vito skillfully sidestepped addressing the recent controversies surrounding the show, including the exits of Giovanni Pernice and Graziano Di Prima, allegations that Giovanni has strongly denied.