Strictly Come Dancing to 'stop family and friends' from going to live shows
Keeeeep dancing... on your own.
With Head Judge Shirley Ballas saying she is 99% certain that Strictly Come Dancing will be back this autumn, we're wondering how it's all going to work.
Shirley seemed optimistic when she appeared on Loose Women, explaining that there are ways to dance at a distance, and there has already been discussion of the show taking place without a studio audience.
But now it appears bosses are going one step further by suggesting that celebrity contestants will not be allowed to bring their entourages with them to Saturday night recordings.
Contestants, judges, presenters and professional dancers are usually allowed to invite guests to every show. Their friends and family have the chance to sit in the audience or watch from the green room backstage, as well as enjoying hospitality before and after filming. However The Sun is reporting that this now needs to stop, in order to limit the number of people at the studio and therefore minimise the risk of coronavirus affecting the show.
A source told the tabloid: "The studios are always jam packed. But because of the on-going pandemic, it’s going to have to stop. This year guests are being kept to an absolute minimum. There will be no entourages or endless guests anymore. Even the glam squads are getting the boot."
They went on to say that judges will have their hair and make-up done before they arrive at the studio.
RadioTimes.com approached the BBC, who declined to comment.
It remains to be seen whether these precautions will be deemed strong enough for the series to go ahead in 2020.
Strictly Come Dancing is expected to return to BBC One this autumn. To find out what's on TV in the mean time, check out our TV Guide.
