Strictly Come Dancing Bosses 'Axe Blackpool And Group Dances' So The Show Can Continue Through Pandemic
18 May 2020, 11:15 | Updated: 18 May 2020, 11:39
Strictly Come Dancing bosses have apparently axed the Blackpool stage of the competition in a bid to keep the show running through the coronavirus pandemic.
The filming for a majority of TV shows have been postponed or cancelled due to the coronavirus, but Strictly Come Dancing is keen to do whatever they can to keep the show going ahead later this year.
Bosses are said to now be considering removing major features of the series to protect the celebrities and professionals involved, as well as the production crew.
A source told the Daily Star: “It will be a very different show this year. A lot of the things fans love have been dropped.
“Group dances and a studio audience just can’t happen with social distancing. Cancelling the Blackpool weekend was not an easy decision. But doing it in the current climate is too difficult. It isn’t worth doing if there won’t be a crowd.”
A Strictly Come Dancing spokesperson declined to comment when contacted by Capital.
It comes after BBC boss Charlotte Moore told The Times they were looking into drastic measures in an attempt to keep the show going ahead.
She explained: “'We're looking at how that would work. Could you quarantine people? Can we test everyone before filming? There's a lot of work being done. It's a big task.”
She also said the series might go ahead without a live audience.
Joe Sugg and Dianne Buswell dance the jive to Take On Me by A-Ha
Contestants may also have their temperatures regularly checked.
There was also reportedly a discussion about the celebrities potentially isolating with their professional dance partner to reduce their risk of infection.
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