Emmerdale fans will recognise Lewis Cope as Nicky Milligan — Kim Tate’s scheming son — but the 30-year-old from Hartlepool is swapping the Dales for the dancefloor as a contestant on Strictly Come Dancing 2025. The soap star also trained at the Royal Academy of Dance and was a finalist on Got to Dance, giving him a dance background that separates him from most celebrity contestants.
Age (2025): 30 ·
Birthplace: Hartlepool, County Durham ·
Known for: Emmerdale (Nicky Milligan) ·
Strictly series: 23 (2025) ·
Dance background: Billy Elliot the Musical, Got to Dance finalist ·
Relationship status: In a relationship with Rachel Lopez
Quick snapshot
- Born 19 March 1995 in Hartlepool (Wikipedia)
- Played Nicky Milligan on ITV’s Emmerdale 2022–2024 (BBC Media Centre)
- Contestant on Strictly Come Dancing 2025, partnered with Katya Jones (BBC Media Centre) (Wikipedia)
- In a relationship with Rachel Lopez (Manchester Evening News)
- Whether he is related to actor Kenneth Cope — no evidence found (Wikipedia)
- Exact dating timeline with Rachel Lopez — not publicly confirmed
- Full details of his boxing career — beyond his decision to choose dance over boxing
- Future plans after Strictly
- The duration and scope of Cope’s formal ballet training at the Royal Academy of Dance
- 2025: Joined Strictly Come Dancing series 23 (BBC Media Centre)
- 2024: Left Emmerdale role (Wikipedia)
- 2010: Finalist on Sky1’s Got to Dance (Wikipedia)
- Competing in Strictly Come Dancing 2025 with partner Katya Jones (BBC Media Centre)
- No new acting roles announced since leaving Emmerdale
Seven key facts about Lewis Cope, one pattern: his career path from childhood dance training to soap villain to reality dance competition reveals a performer who has consistently chosen performance over comfort.
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Full name | Lewis Cope |
| Date of birth | 19 March 1995 |
| Birthplace | Hartlepool, County Durham, England |
| Occupation | Actor and dancer |
| Known for | Nicky Milligan in Emmerdale, Strictly Come Dancing contestant (2025) |
| Dance training | Royal Academy of Dance, Billy Elliot, Got to Dance |
| Relationship | Partner: Rachel Lopez |
Who is Lewis on Strictly Come Dancing?
Lewis Cope is an English actor and dancer who joined the cast of Strictly Come Dancing as a contestant for the 23rd series in 2025, announced by the BBC Media Centre. He is best known for playing Nicky Milligan on ITV’s Emmerdale from 2022 to 2024. He was partnered with professional dancer Katya Jones for the series.
Early life and age
- Born on 19 March 1995 in Hartlepool, County Durham (Wikipedia).
- He is 30 years old as of 2025.
Birthplace and family
- Grew up in Hartlepool, a coastal town in the North East of England.
- He has spoken about his family supporting his early dance ambitions.
What is Lewis Cope’s background?
Cope started dancing as a child and trained at the Royal Academy of Dance. He performed as Billy Elliot in the West End production of Billy Elliot the Musical. He also reached the final of the Sky1 dance competition Got to Dance in 2010 as part of a hip-hop troupe.
Lewis Cope is a trained dancer with West End credits, yet he told WalesOnline this is the first time he has stepped into a dance studio in 12 years — making him both a ringer and a novice depending on which part of his career you look at.
The implication: Cope’s background gives him a technical foundation most celebrity contestants lack, but the gap in formal practice means he has to rebuild muscle memory under the show’s intense schedule.
Is Lewis Cope a professional dancer?
Dance training and early career
- Lewis Cope is a trained dancer but is not a professional dancer on Strictly Come Dancing; he is a celebrity contestant (BBC Media Centre).
- He trained at the Royal Academy of Dance and performed in Billy Elliot the Musical in London’s West End (Wikipedia).
- He was a finalist on the Sky1 dance show Got to Dance (Wikipedia).
Billy Elliot and Got to Dance
His early dance career included performing the iconic role of Billy Elliot in the West End musical — a role that requires significant ballet and tap training. In 2010, he reached the final of Got to Dance on Sky1 (Sky).
Why he chose dance over boxing
In an interview with The Times, Cope explained he had a choice between pursuing boxing and dancing as a teenager. “I had a choice between boxing and dancing, and dancing won,” he said.
“I had a choice between boxing and dancing, and dancing won.”
— Lewis Cope, speaking to The Times
The catch: Despite his credentials, Cope told WalesOnline that he had not received formal training in years and that it had been 12 years since he last danced in a studio. He described his first training session as “hard.”
Is Lewis Cope in a relationship?
Who is Lewis Cope’s girlfriend Rachel Lopez?
- Lewis Cope is in a relationship with Rachel Lopez (Manchester Evening News).
- Rachel Lopez has been seen supporting him at Strictly events (WalesOnline).
- According to TV Guide, the couple have been together for six years and Lopez is a personal trainer from Dublin.
- Cope told WalesOnline that his girlfriend was “over the moon” about his Strictly involvement and that she prepared his meals and packed lunches during training.
- The exact dating timeline of their relationship is not publicly confirmed.
“I’m so proud of him, he’s living his dream.”
— Rachel Lopez, speaking to Heart Radio
Cope’s relationship stability appears to be a practical asset during Strictly’s demanding rehearsal schedule — his partner’s support includes meal prep and logistics, which matters when training consumes 12-hour days.
Why this matters: Cope’s relationship with Rachel Lopez has become a regular storyline in media coverage of his Strictly run, offering a personal dimension to his public profile as a contestant.
What is Lewis Cope doing now?
Strictly Come Dancing 2025
- Lewis Cope is currently a contestant on the 23rd series of Strictly Come Dancing (2025) (BBC Media Centre).
- He was announced in August 2025 as a replacement for Kristian Nairn, who withdrew due to health issues (Wikipedia).
- He is partnered with professional dancer Katya Jones (BBC Media Centre).
- According to WalesOnline, Cope achieved the first perfect score of the Strictly 2025 season with a couple’s choice dance in Halloween week.
- Judge Anton du Beke described the routine as “as good as any we’ve ever seen on any series” (WalesOnline).
- Cope reached the special Blackpool episode of Strictly with Katya Jones (WalesOnline).
- Cope said Strictly rehearsals were “intense and relentless” (WalesOnline).
Emmerdale departure
- He left his role as Nicky Milligan on Emmerdale in 2024 (Wikipedia).
- His character Nicky Milligan was the son of Kim Tate and a central figure in storylines involving fraud and family conflict.
Other projects
- He has not announced any new acting roles since leaving Emmerdale.
- He is active on Instagram (@lewiscope) where he posts about his Strictly journey.
What this means: Cope has put his acting career on hold to compete on Strictly, using the show as a platform to reintroduce himself to audiences as a dancer rather than a soap villain.
Timeline
- 19 March 1995: Born in Hartlepool, County Durham (Wikipedia).
- Early 2000s: Began dancing and pursued training at the Royal Academy of Dance (Wikipedia).
- Mid 2000s: Performed as Billy Elliot in the West End musical (Wikipedia).
- 2010: Reached the final of Sky1’s Got to Dance (Wikipedia).
- 2022–2024: Played Nicky Milligan on ITV’s Emmerdale (Wikipedia).
- 2024: Left Emmerdale (Wikipedia).
- 2025: Joined the cast of Strictly Come Dancing as a contestant for series 23 (BBC Media Centre).
Is Lewis Cope related to Kenneth Cope?
Clarifying the connection
- There is no publicly available evidence that Lewis Cope is related to actor Kenneth Cope (Wikipedia).
- Lewis Cope’s family background does not list any notable acting relatives in verified sources.
- Kenneth Cope was a well-known British actor (1929–2024), famous for roles in Coronation Street and Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased).
- The question likely arises due to the shared surname and both being actors, but no genealogical link has been established.
Viewers and fans often assume a familial connection between actors who share surnames — but in this case, the common surname “Cope” appears to be coincidental, not inherited. No public record links the two performers.
The pattern: Shared surnames among actors frequently generate unfounded family speculation online, and Lewis Cope’s case is a textbook example of this phenomenon.
radiotimes.com, strictlystats.com, independent.co.uk, anglejournal.uk, uk.news.yahoo.com, manchestereveningnews.co.uk, reportaktuell.ch
For a deeper look at his dance background and Emmerdale career, see Lewis Copes Strictly journey.
Frequently asked questions
How old is Lewis Cope?
Lewis Cope was born on 19 March 1995, making him 30 years old as of 2025 (Wikipedia).
What is Lewis Cope’s dance background?
He trained at the Royal Academy of Dance, performed as Billy Elliot in the West End, and was a finalist on Sky1’s Got to Dance (Wikipedia). Despite his training, he told WalesOnline it had been 12 years since he last danced in a studio.
When did Lewis Cope join Strictly Come Dancing?
He joined the 23rd series of Strictly Come Dancing in 2025 as a contestant, announced in August 2025 (BBC Media Centre).
What character did Lewis Cope play in Emmerdale?
He played Nicky Milligan, the son of Kim Tate, from 2022 to 2024 (Wikipedia).
Is Lewis Cope still with his girlfriend?
Yes, Lewis Cope is in a relationship with Rachel Lopez, a personal trainer from Dublin (Manchester Evening News).
Where is Lewis Cope from originally?
He is from Hartlepool, County Durham, in the North East of England (Wikipedia).
Did Lewis Cope really choose dancing over boxing?
Yes, he told The Times that he had a choice between boxing and dancing and chose dancing (The Times).
What does Lewis Cope do on Instagram?
He is active on Instagram at @lewiscope, where he posts updates about his Strictly Come Dancing journey (Instagram).
For Lewis Cope, the biggest challenge isn’t the dance steps — it’s proving that a trained performer with a 12-year gap can still win over an audience that expects a beginner’s journey. His Strictly run will define whether he’s remembered as a soap star who danced, or a dancer who happens to have done soap.
Freddie Clarke is Senior Reporter at WordPatch.co.uk, covering writing, language, publishing, books, digital culture and entertainment stories for UK audiences.