The BBC is making some big changes to Strictly Come Dancing when it returns later in 2022. Whilst the programme did run during the Covid lockdowns, strict safety measures were introduced to help keep the celebrities, professional dancers and members of the crew safe; including restrictions on the number of people who could be in the studio at any one time, plastic screens between the judges - and a temporary ban on inviting members of the public to sit in the studio audience.
But for the upcoming series this autumn, the full studio audience will be back - and the screens dividing the judges will be no more. As reported by The Mirror, the removal of the screens was specifically requested by former Strictly dancer and new judge Anton du Beke, who has replaced long-term judge Bruno Tonioli on the panel.
Anton said: "What I hope we are able to do this year, actually, is that we can get rid of the screens because we have had the screens up over the last couple of years and the judges slightly separated. I am hoping we can get a bit closer so we can have a bit more chat amongst ourselves.” You can get more TV news and other story updates by subscribing to our newsletters here.
But one change brought in during the pandemic will be kept permanently. Show chiefs are understood to have preferred the way the weekly group performances were recorded in one batch, ahead of the main competition starting - instead of during the weekly episodes.
A source at the BBC said: "While final plans are still being nailed down and kept fluid, Strictly bosses are planning to pre-record some of the pro dancer routines again this summer. They are also hoping to have a full studio audience back watching the live show each week.” Read here about how Strictly's Amy Dowden is to get her own BBC show.
The group dances usually open the Sunday results show and pre-pandemic would be performed live each week. But Strictly bosses intend to have them pre-recorded at the start of the series - and then air one dance per week - as they did during the pandemic, to give the dancers more time to train their celebrities each week without the distraction of another dance to learn.
Over the past two years, the professional dancers have had to isolate together in a hotel prior to the intensive filming days for the dances. This year they will be able to move freely and return home if they live close enough to the studios in Elstree, Hertfordshire. Bosses are also keen to get back to Blackpool in November after two years away.
The series is expected to be back on our screens this September, with eight female and eight male pros - but not favourites Oti Mabuse and Alijaz Skorjanec who have decided to leave the series.
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