Show must go on for Covid-hit DWTS
"It’s still sinking in — I’m really gutted." Rhys Mathewson
The show must go on for the Dancing with the Stars cast and crew, despite two confirmed Covid19 cases and subsequent forced drop-outs.
The first case was confirmed on Wednesday with Olympic rower Eric Murray and partner Loryn Reynolds forced to drop out, being replaced by the freshly exiled reality TV star Alex Vaz and Brittany Coleman.
A day later, it was announced comedian Rhys Mathewson and dance partner Phoebe Robb would be leaving the show after testing positive for the virus.
They are being replaced by Newstalk ZB host Kerre Woodham and her dance partner Jared Neame, who were eliminated two weeks ago.
The two pairs were brought back within the BBC Studios format rules used by the show, which say the most recently eliminated contestant is invited to return in such a situation.
But with only two other eliminated contestants left — Eli Matthewson and Sonya Gray — what happens if DWTS runs out of dancers to step in?
Warner Brothers Discovery said yesterday it has no plans to postpone the show or its May 29 finale.
If a household contact tests positive, the contestant can continue in the show as long as they provide a negative rapid antigen test and lodge separately, because cast members have critical worker passes.
Cast, crew and staff members must also return negative RATs each day before starting work at the Epsom studio.
Woodham and Vaz are already frantically preparing for the first live show tomorrow.
Woodham spoke on Thursday about how “devastated” she was for the contestants who had to leave.
“But the show’s gotta go on, and it certainly takes an awful whole lot of pressure off — the fact that we’re there to keep the show ticking over!”
Rhys Mathewson told Woodham on a special episode of her podcast Inside Dancing with the Stars, he was still processing his sudden exit.
“It’s still sinking in — I’m really gutted.”
Murray revealed on the podcast that he had been “sick as a dog” but had tested negative every day until Wednesday morning.
It’s the third time Covid has derailed DWTS after production was twice postponed due to the global pandemic.
The others still competing are broadcaster Brodie Kane, ex-boxer David Letele and author and mental health advocate Jazz Thornton.