Strictly Come Dancing won’t have studio audience for first time in 15 years due to lockdown

Strictly Come Dancing 2020
PA

Strictly Come Dancing will not have a studio audience for the first time in the show’s 15-year history because of the new national lockdown. 

Show organisers today confirmed the primetime BBC show will not have an audience throughout November in order to restrict the number of people on site.

Previously this season, a select few people have been allowed in the studio at a social distance - with priority given to NHS workers and family of contestants.

A statement from the show said: "In light of the new lockdown measures which take effect in England from Thursday November 5, we’re sad to announce that we won’t be able to have a live studio audience for Strictly Come Dancing during November.  

“Ticket holders have been notified. ‘No tickets will be sent out for December shows until we are sure it will be safe and compliant to welcome audiences back, so please keep checking back for updates. We will continue to follow government guidelines.”

It continued: “We understand how disappointing this will be, but we very much hope we will see some of you later in the series."

Spin-off It Takes Two will continue as usual.

This weekend is the first themed week of the 2020 season - with Movie Week promising some of the show’s most unusual routines to date.  

Strictly Come Dancing Champions - In pictures

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The Wanted star Max George and partner Dianne Buswell will perform as Homer and Marge Simpson in an homage to The Simpsons.

Bill Bailey and Oti Mabuse are planning a Paso Doble inspired by western classic, The Good, The Bad and The Ugly.  

Nicola Adams and Katya Jones will Jive to Greased Lightening from Grease.

Jamie Laing, who was in the bottle two last week with Karen Hauer, will perform a Charleston to Zero to Hero from Hercules. 

Strictly Come Dancing airs Saturday at 7.25pm on BBC One.  

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