Bruno Tonioli ‘won’t be replaced on Strictly Come Dancing’ if he can’t travel to UK

Bruno Tonioli won’t be replaced on Strictly Come Dancing if he is forced to step down from the series, it’s been reported.

Strictly judge Bruno may be forced to sit out the upcoming series due to travel and quarantine restrictions.

He usually makes transatlantic trips to judge both the British version of the show and its American counterpart, Dancing With The Stars.

But this year that may not be possible with Bruno telling The Sun newspaper: “I leave America on Wednesday and come back every Sunday but now it’s impossible and, because of the current travel restrictions, it’s beyond my control.|

“Under the current restrictions they just won’t allow it. I don’t know what’s going to happen,” he added.

There had been rumours that Strictly was lining up possible replacements for Bruno including The Greatest Dancer Cheryl.

But sources say the current plan is for the panel simply to reduce down to three judges if Bruno can’t make it.

“As things stand, Bruno won’t be replaced and they’ll switch to three judges,” a source said. “The BBC hope the rules on flying will be relaxed by the autumn which means Bruno should be able to take part.

“They don’t want to go through a long process of replacing him when he could have done it anyway so it’s very doubtful Cheryl will be there, not as a judge anyway.”

Bruno has been a judge on the show since the very first series in 2004.

He currently appears on the panel with Shirley Ballas, Motsi Mabuse and Craig Revel Horwood.

Strictly Come Dancing typically begins on BBC One in September however this year’s show is expected to be delayed until October.

The BBC recently confirmed that the 2020 season would be shorter than usual.

It’s rumoured that it will feature fewer celebrity contestants while former pro dancers AJ Pritchard and Kevin Clifton won’t be replaced.