Strictly Come Dancing could air without a studio audience in 2020

This year’s series of Strictly Come Dancing could air without a studio audience.

Planning is underway for the 2020 run with a number of proposals to keep the show on air amid the ongoing health crisis.

The BBC has revealed that airing the series without an audience is one option currently on the table.

BBC director of content, Charlotte Moore said during a virtual talk at the Edinburgh TV Festival: “People think if it is a shiny floor it needs an audience and I don’t think that’s necessarily true.

“When you look at something like Drag Race which is a big shiny floor talent competition with all sorts of catwalks, singing, dancing, impressions – it never has an audience.

“The audience is the four judges and I don’t think it suffers from that at all. I think it is a brilliant show.”

She added: “I think inevitably things are going to change!”

Cutting the audience would certainly stop all those pesky Sunday result leaks…

Meanwhile, other plans for the series are said to include a shorter run with double eliminations.

While the producers figure out the format, casting is said to be underway with a number of celebrity names already linked to the series.

There’s reportedly been a ‘six figure fee’ offered to Radio 1 DJ and TV presenter Maya Jama while other names currently rumoured for the line up include comedian Catherine Tate and actress Michelle Keegan.

Also reportedly in the running is Made In Chelsea star Jamie Laing who was forced to quit last year’s show just before the launch due to an injury.

Strictly Come Dancing typically begins in September on BBC One.