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'Strictly Come Dancing' dancer isolating ahead of live shows after testing positive for COVID

Albertina Lloyd
·Contributor
·2-min read
One of 'Strictly's professional dancers has tested positive for COVID-19. (BBC)
One of 'Strictly's professional dancers has tested positive for COVID-19. (BBC)

Strictly Come Dancing has hit a hurdle after one of the professional dance partners contracted coronavirus.

The celebrity contestants have already been paired with their professional partners in a pre-recorded launch show due to air on BBC One on Saturday, 18 September, at 7.45pm.

A Strictly spokesperson confirmed to Yahoo UK: “A professional dancer has tested positive for COVID-19 however this didn’t affect recording of the launch show which airs this Saturday.

Read more: Strictly's Rose Ayling-Ellis 'I want to show deaf people do enjoy music'

"We are following government guidelines to ensure the safety of all on the show.”

According to The Sun, the celebrity contestant has tested negative but will be unable to rehearse with their dance partner, who must isolate for 10 days ahead of the live shows which begin on Saturday 25 September.

'Strictly Come Dancing' 2021 contestants Greg Wise, Katie McGlynn, Dan Walker, AJ Odudu, Rhys Stephenson, Tilly Ramsay, Tom Fletcher, Judi Love, Adam Peaty, Rose Ayling-Ellis, Robert Webb, John Waite, Nina Wadia, Ugo Monye, Sara Davies. (BBC)
Strictly Come Dancing 2021 contestants Greg Wise, Katie McGlynn, Dan Walker, AJ Odudu, Rhys Stephenson, Tilly Ramsay, Tom Fletcher, Judi Love, Adam Peaty, Rose Ayling-Ellis, Robert Webb, John Waite, Nina Wadia, Ugo Monye and Sara Davies. (BBC)

Taking part this year are McFly's Tom Fletcher BBC Breakfast star Dan Walker, Gordon Ramsay's daughter Tilly Ramsay, Olympic swimmer Adam Peaty, EastEnders stars Nina Wadia and Rose Ayling-Ellis and former Bake Off winner John Whaite.

Comedian Robert Webb, actor Greg Wise and Coronation Street star Katie McGlynn are also among the stars taking to the dancefloor in the hope of winning the coveted glitterball trophy.

Judges Craig Revel Horwood, Motsi Mabuse and Shirley Ballas will be back, but Anton Du Beke will be filling in for Bruno Tonioli.

Tonioli is unable to take part because of the complications of travelling between the UK and the US, where he judges Dancing With The Stars, amid the COVID pandemic.

Nicola Adams has been partnered with Katya Jones for 'Strictly Come Dancing'. (BBC)
Nicola Adams and Katya Jones were forced to pull out of 'Strictly Come Dancing' last year after Jones caught coronavirus. (BBC)

As part of the limits placed on the live shows last year, if a contestant or dancer tested positive for COVID they were forced to pull out of the competition.

This led to boxer Nicola Adams and her professional partner Katya Jones withdrawing after just three weeks when Jones tested positive. The couple had made history as Strictly's first same-sex pairing.

Read more: Gordon Ramsay's daughter Tilly says he will be harshest critic of her 'Strictly' dancing

The shows were all filmed on site at Elstree Studios in Borehamwood, north London, with no studio audience present, and the professional group numbers were filmed in advance.

Comedian Bill Bailey was crowned the winner of Strictly 2020 with dance partner Oti Mabuse.

Watch: Pro dancer Janette Manrara is the new host of Strictly: It Takes Two