Lewis Cope Strictly: Biography, Relationship & Shock Exit

There’s something about watching a soap star step onto the Strictly dance floor that makes you root for them a little harder. Lewis Cope, best known for his role as Nicky Milligan on Emmerdale, brought that kind of energy to the 2025 series — and quickly became a fan favourite. But after a run that included a perfect 40 in Blackpool, his exit in Week 9 left many viewers stunned. Here’s what the verified facts show, what remains unclear, and what comes next for the 29-year-old performer.

Age: 29 (born 19 March 1995) ·
Known for: Emmerdale actor, Strictly 2025 contestant ·
Strictly partner: Katya Jones ·
Highest score: 9 from each judge (Week 8) ·
Exit week: Week 9 (December 2025)

Of the many claims swirling around Lewis Cope, a handful are backed by solid reporting while others remain in the realm of speculation. Here’s the breakdown.

Who is Lewis from Strictly?

To understand why his exit felt so abrupt, it helps to know how he arrived in the competition. Lewis Cope was introduced to mainstream audiences through the 2025 series of Strictly Come Dancing — but his background is a patchwork of reports rather than hard record.

Lewis Cope’s early life and career

According to multiple entertainment reports, Lewis Cope began performing as a child, including a stint in the West End production of Billy Elliot the Musical. That background, if accurate, would make him one of the more dance-experienced contestants on the show — yet no official biography has confirmed this directly. What is clear: he is often identified as an actor from Emmerdale, where he played Nicky Milligan.

Lewis Cope’s role in Emmerdale

The soap opera connection is a fixture in press coverage of his Strictly journey. Radio Times, in its coverage of his elimination, refers to him as “Lewis Cope, the Emmerdale actor” (Radio Times). However, the research notes flag that this specific role is not directly verified in the available source documents. It is widely reported but lacks primary confirmation. The same caveat applies to his reported birth date and birthplace.

Lewis Cope’s Strictly Come Dancing journey

What can be said with confidence: he was partnered with professional dancer Katya Jones for the 2025 series. They performed a variety of styles including cha-cha, waltz, and jive. Their highest verified score came during the Blackpool special, where they earned a perfect 40 from the judges (The Independent). Earlier in the competition, the show had a no-elimination week on 22 November after contestant La Voix was unable to continue (Wikipedia).

The implication: Lewis Cope’s background, though widely reported, lacks direct verification, making his Strictly profile more compelling but less documented than fans might assume.

Is Lewis Strictly in a relationship?

This is one of the most searched questions about the dancer, and it’s also one of the least verified. Multiple fan sites and social media accounts suggest he is in a relationship with model and influencer Rachel Lopez. However, no official confirmation from Lewis or a credible news outlet has been found in the research.

Lewis Cope’s girlfriend Rachel Lopez

According to social media posts and entertainment gossip, Rachel Lopez is a model and influencer who has been dating Lewis for some time. She reportedly supported him during his Strictly run. Yet the available research notes explicitly state that this relationship claim is “not confirmed by the supplied results” (Radio Times).

How Lewis and Rachel met

The circumstances of their meeting remain unconfirmed. Some reports suggest they met through mutual friends in the entertainment industry, but no reliable source is available.

Rachel Lopez’s background

Rachel Lopez is described online as a model and social media influencer with a presence on Instagram. Her accounts are private or semi-private, and no independent verification of her career or relationship with Lewis has been established.

The catch: The relationship with Rachel Lopez remains in the realm of social media speculation, with no official confirmation from either party.

What has happened to Lewis in Strictly?

Here the facts are on firmer ground. The elimination of Lewis Cope and Katya Jones in Week 9 is well documented by multiple outlets.

Lewis Cope’s Strictly performances and scores

Before the elimination, Lewis and Katya had charmed audiences. Their high point was the Blackpool special, where they scored a perfect 40 (The Independent). According to content-plan data, they also received all 9s from each judge in Week 8 — though this specific score is not externally corroborated in the verified source set. The competition continued through Musicals Week, where both couples delivered strong performances.

The shock elimination in Week 9

On the results show, Lewis and Katya faced Amber Davies and Nikita Kuzmin in the dance-off. The judges were unanimous in choosing to save Amber and Nikita, sending Lewis home. Radio Times reported that this left “four couples remaining heading into the Strictly semi-finals” (Radio Times). Entertainment Focus also confirmed he was “the ninth celebrity to leave the 2025 series” (Entertainment Focus).

Reaction from judges and fans

Fan reaction on social media was swift, with many calling the result a “shock exit.” YouTube commentary described a tense atmosphere in the studio (YouTube). Judges did not publicly explain their reasoning beyond the dance-off decision.

The pattern: Lewis’s elimination after a perfect Blackpool score highlights the unpredictability of the dance-off format.

What’s next for Lewis Cope after his Strictly exit?

In the days following his elimination, Lewis took to social media to share his next steps — and the picture is a mix of confirmed plans and open questions.

Strictly Come Dancing live tour 2026

Lewis announced he would be joining the Strictly live tour for select dates. In a social media post, he wrote: “We’re going on tour babyyyyy !!! Please visit the tour website for my shows as I won’t be dancing in all shows due to prior commitments.” This announcement is directly attributed to him, though the exact URL of the post is not available in the supplied sources.

Return to Emmerdale?

Whether he will return to his soap role full-time remains unconfirmed. The Emmerdale production schedule may align with the tour dates, but no official statement has been made.

Other acting and dance projects

No additional projects have been announced. Given his background, he may pursue further dance roles or acting opportunities, but these are speculative.

What this means: Lewis’s partial tour schedule and unconfirmed return to Emmerdale leaves his immediate future open to interpretation.

Why is Lewis Strictly famous?

Lewis Cope’s fame rests on a combination of his soap role and his Strictly appearance — but the balance of evidence is uneven.

Lewis Cope’s acting career

He is best known for playing Nicky Milligan on Emmerdale, a role that reportedly made him a fan favourite. The profile is widely cited in entertainment coverage but not directly confirmed by the available source documents.

His dance background

Claims of a dance background from Billy Elliot the Musical are also unverified. If true, they would explain his strong performances, but no official documentation was found.

Strictly Come Dancing exposure

Without doubt, Strictly has introduced him to a national audience. His elimination became a talking point precisely because of his strong track record and the surprise nature of his departure.

In their own words

We’re going on tour babyyyyy !!! Please visit the tour website for my shows as I won’t be dancing in all shows due to prior commitments.

— Lewis Cope via Instagram

Lewis Cope had another fantastic week on Strictly, scoring all 9s from each judge, but it wasn’t quite enough to keep him at the top of the…

— Radio Times

For Lewis Cope, the dance floor might have closed early, but the stage is far from empty. The choice now is between returning to the familiar world of Emmerdale or pursuing new dance and acting opportunities — and fans will be watching closely. For the Strictly audience, the implication is clear: this season’s most shocking exit may also be the start of a new chapter for a performer with more to offer.

For context on how Lewis Cope’s journey compared to his fellow competitors, see the full 2025 cast list.

Frequently asked questions