Strictly Come Dancing ‘chaos’ as pro dancer tests positive for Covid ahead of first show

Strictly Come Dancing has reportedly been thrown into ‘chaos’ with one of the show’s pro dancers testing positive for Covid.

The unnamed dancer is said to have tested positive after filming the pre-recorded launch show, due to air on Saturday.

The result means they have to isolate for ten days and cannot train with their celebrity partner – who has tested negative.

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

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

A source claimed to The Sun newspaper that the situation was proving a “nightmare” for producers with the first live show scheduled for next Saturday night.

The insider shared: “It means that Strictly viewers are likely to watch the pro paired with their celeb, then they could be separated by the time the first live show begins.

“That also means that the pro in question will probably end up only taking part in group dances throughout the new series, which will be particularly galling.”

For now Strictly Come Dancing bursts back onto our screens this Saturday night at 7:45PM.

Celebrities confirmed for the 2021 Strictly Come Dancing line up include actress Rose Ayling-Ellis, cookery author John Whaite, broadcaster Dan Walker, gold-medal Olympic swimmer Adam Peaty and TV and social media personality Tilly Ramsay.

Also on the line up are comedian Robert Webb, CBBC presenter and actor Rhys Stephenson, TV presenter AJ Odudu, Rugby player turned pundit Ugo Monye and singer Tom Fletcher.

Finishing the 2021 line up are Coronation Street star Katie McGlynn, comedian, presenter and regular Loose Women panellist Judi Love, entrepreneur and TV personality Sara Davies and actor & presenter Nina Wadia OBE.

In Saturday’s launch they will be seen getting paired with one of the professionals before hitting the dancefloor for a first group dance.

Pros making up Strictly this year are returning dancers Graziano Di Prima, Amy Dowden, Giovanni Pernice, Katya Jones, Neil Jones, Nancy Xu and Nadiya Bychkova, Luba Mushtuk, Karen Hauer, Gorka Marquez, Oti Mabuse, Dianne Buswell, Johannes Radebe and Aljaz Skorjanec.

Joining them are new pros Nikita Kuzmin, Cameron Lombard, Jowita Przystal and Kai Widdrington.

The live shows will begin on Saturday, 25 September.

Shirley Ballas, Craig Revel Horwood and Motsi Mabuse will return as judges joined by Anton Du Beke for this year.

Picture: (C) BBC – Photographer: Guy Levy