Get ready to rumba! Strictly’s celeb stars
THE new batch of Strictly contestants have donned their spandex and sequins ahead of this weekend’s opening show.
This year’s celebrities have just days left in rehearsals before they take to the floor for the first time.
It comes as it was confirmed that participants in this year’s series will not automatically be forced to leave the competition if they receive a positive coronavirus result.
Executive producer Sarah James confirmed that while many of the hit BBC show’s Covid protocols remain in place, the isolation period is shorter and gives contestants a chance to return to the dance floor.
Celebrities will have to isolate for ten days if they test positive for the virus instead of 14, meaning it’s possible they can miss just one week of the competition, which is allowed in the show’s rules.
Last year Nicola Adams and Katya Jones were forced to withdraw from the competition after Miss Jones received a positive test result. However, the series will once again feature a limited audience, pre-recorded professional group dances and there will be no trip to Blackpool. Anton Du Beke will swap the dance floor for a score paddle as he becomes a judge, replacing Bruno Tonioli, and there are four new professionals.