Is there a new Dancing with the Stars NZ romance in the air?
Alex Vaz and his dance partner from the show, Brittany Coleman, this week escaped to fellow competitor Kerre Woodham's idyllic Northland retreat in Opononi. They have also been seen out and about since the show's finale in May.
Woodham responded to an Instagam post from Vaz about the getaway, saying, "So glad you found the time to get up here - enjoy."
Vaz was a contestant on Heartbreak Island in 2019 and a bachelor on TVNZ's The Bachelorette last year alongside Lexie Brown and Lily McManus. But he failed to find love on the two reality dating shows.
Contacted about speculation on his and Coleman's relationship, Vaz said he would get back to Spy on their return from the Hokianga. No further comment followed.
Coleman had previously dated another man who congratulated the pair on social media after the finale, sharing a photo of himself with Vaz dressed in his dance costume. The photo was deleted about a week later.
In a series that has seen a few hook-ups between dance partners over the years, Spy had Vaz and Coleman as the possible real-life match to watch out for at the beginning of the season.
The most famous publicised hook-up was between former actor Shane Cortese and then Nerida Lister, when their sizzle went off screen after the first Kiwi version of the show in 2005. The pair famously went on to marry and have children before parting ways in 2019.
Vaz's ride on the show was a seesaw of being voted off and returning when Eric Murray exited due to Covid. All through the show he buzzed and flourished with Coleman at his side.
The software developer's chosen charity was counselling service Gumboot Friday, and he cited past battles with depression, which he felt acutely after his first time in the spotlight on Heartbreak Island.
The Alex Vaz that left DWTS is a confident reborn man about town.
Coleman, a high school teacher and professional dancer, has been part of the show since 2019, her brother Brad took out the Mirror Ball trophy this season with mental health activist Jazz Thornton.
A few weeks after the finale, Vaz and Coleman looked cosy together when they joined Thornton and fellow DWTS competitors podcast producer Brodie Kane and Newstalk ZB host Woodham at the Elvis premiere late last month.
A few days later, Vaz was there to support the Coleman siblings over a weekend at the Kiwi Dance Classic Championships of New Zealand, where they took second place in the Adult Open Grade for Latin Dancing.