Dancers won’t be Strictly alone after all
STRICTLY Come Dancing will have an audience this year - to the delight of the BBC show’s professional dancers.
Bosses have decided to invite around 50 people to watch the 18th series shows go out live across the UK.
Normally 600 cram into the studio in Elstree, Herts, to watch the dancers and their celeb partners.
But yesterday the pros were thrilled that they would not be dancing to an eerie silence – or a virtual audience.
Instead, households or bubbles of up to four members will sit two metres apart from others at cabaret style tables to maintain social distancing. To be extra careful, audiences have been asked to wear plain black masks.
One show source revealed: “The dancers are really happy – the idea of a completely empty studio was unnerving.
“Now there will at least be a bit of an audience who will be encouraged to whoop, cheer, boo, hiss and generally make as much noise as possible.
“Everyone’s just so relieved that there will be some atmosphere in the studio. Whoever gets in to watch this year will need to make their presence felt, big time.”
Normally around five million people apply to be in the draw for Strictly audience tickets on the BBC’s shows and tours website, which opened yesterday.
Other changes to be made to the series because of Covid-19 include judge Bruno Tonioli missing at least the first half of the series because he is based in the US.
The number of contestants will be reduced to 12 rather than 15. The Blackpool week is also being scrapped.