Strictly Come Dancing 2020 'axes Blackpool Week, studio audience and group dances'

The dancing competition has been a highlight of the BBC's programming calendar for many years, but is reportedly being forced to make major changes in this year due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Producers are working to keep Strictly Come Dancing on the air, but social distancing measures must be implemented to ensure neither the contestants nor the professionals are put in danger, according to reports.

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."

When asked by RadioTimes.com, the BBC chose not to comment on speculation about the upcoming series.

Details about this year's show have been gradually teased as the coronavirus crisis worsened, with judge Craig Revel Horwood saying there would be a "way around" social distancing restrictions, while dancer Anton Du Beke suggested the competition could be delayed.

Earlier this month, it was reported that Strictly Come Dancing 2020 would feature the show's first ever same-sex couple, following in the footsteps of ITV's Dancing On Ice where Ian 'H' Watkins and Matt Evers competed together in January.

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