Strictly Come Dancing is set to air a three-part special filmed from the homes of the presenters and judges amid the ongoing coronavirus lockdown.
While bosses scramble to make sure another series of the show can still go ahead this year despite the pandemic, they are planning a trip down memory lane to look back at some of the series’ best moments.
The specials will be filmed from the homes of presenters Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman while the judges Craig Revel Horwood, Motsi Mabuse, Shirley Ballas and Bruno Tonioli will join them virtually.
Viewers will be able to relive some of the best moments from Strictly’s themed weeks including musicals, movies and Blackpool.
Kate Phillips, Controller of BBC Entertainment, revealed: ‘Strictly Come Dancing has produced so many magical and memorable moments in the movie, musical and Blackpool weeks – the three special episodes will look back and celebrate these, bringing some much needed Strictly sparkle to the nation.’
Drag queen RuPaul Charles is among the names said to be on producer’s wishlist for the next series after it was reported they had secured two A-listers for the show.
It comes after BBC’s controller of programming Dan McGolpin said the broadcaster is optimistic about Strictly being able to return later this year.
He said: ‘We’ve really just got to keep watching the government advice, thinking about what’s possible. And if there’s any way of bringing Strictly back this autumn, then we absolutely will. That’s very much our intentions, so yeah, fingers crossed.’
It comes after a report suggested bosses are scrambling to ensure the hugely popular show can go ahead amid the coronavirus pandemic, which has forced most TV shows to cancel or postpone production.
An insider told The Sun that Strictly producers are considering changes to the format including double eliminations if the 2020 series is forced to have a delayed start date.
Changes: The new series of Strictly is due to start pre-production this summer but a new report has suggested bosses are scrambling to ensure the hugely popular show can go ahead
Axing two couples a week is among a range of emergency plans reportedly being considered for the flagship BBC show.
In order to ensure the series would finish before Christmas if a delayed start date has to happen, more contestants would need to be eliminated each week.
A source said: ‘There are no fixed plans in place yet but the team are considering all of the options. They are taking note of what’s being done on other versions of the show, such as Let’s Dance in Germany.
‘One idea on the table is that of double eliminations, which would allow us to cut the number of episodes we air if we are forced to launch the show later than we would like to.’
A representative for Strictly declined to comment when contacted by MailOnline.
Double trouble: An insider has told The Sun that Strictly producers are considering changes to the format including double eliminations if the 2020 series is forced to have a delayed start
It comes after Strictly bosses reportedly ruled out the possibility of isolating their celebrity couples during the pandemic, as a source told MailOnline they still weighing up the idea of filming this year’s series behind closed doors.
Sources revealed to MailOnline that due to BBC executives ‘not knowing what world we’ll be in’ when the show hits screens, they are keeping options open.
Despite reports claiming one option was to keep the celebrity and dance professionals in isolation together, insiders insisted this was not plausible due to family ties yet a shortened run is one option on the table.
Strictly Come Dancing joins a legion of shows in being rocked by the ongoing global pandemic, meaning bosses have been forced to keep their options very open.
Not yet: Strictly usually begins airing its new series in September, but this has been thrown into doubt due to the ongoing coronavirus lockdown
Insiders revealed: ‘Bosses are looking at contingency plans but just don’t know where there’ll be at. They don’t know what world we’ll be in…
‘The international versions are running. Germany has no audience and are isolating but not in any kind of Big Brother style. Isolating individually then rehearsing.
‘Strictly are looking at options. At this stage, there’s no chance they could isolate as individuals or couples. That would leave any married or parent dancers not seeing their families for up to three months…
‘At the moment, it’s not being considered. No one knows where we’ll be in the world – if the series is a much shorter run, say. The isolation is not something that’s currently on the table. ‘
Success story: Judge Motsi Mabuse is currently filming the German version of Strictly, which has been able to continue filming throughout the pandemic using similar isolation measures
It comes after numerous TV favourites such as Line Of Duty, Call The Midwife, and even EastEnders were forced to halt filming due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, which has also placed the country in lockdown.
The new series of Strictly is schedule to being production sometime in August, with the launch episode usually airing in early September.
Judge Motsi Mabuse is currently filming the German version of Strictly, which has been able to continue filming throughout the pandemic by using similar isolation measures.
Last week pro Oti Mabuse – who was crowned series champion with Kelvin Fletcher last year – admitted Strictly’s future is still up in the air.
She said on Lorraine: ‘Right now we hope that everything’s gonna be okay, or are we not sure?
‘We’re just hoping that everything can be okay. I think at the moment it’s really important to listen to the government guidelines and just take it day by day.
‘The most important thing is that everyone is safe and everyone is healthy. So, at the moment, we’re all just isolated together. We’re all in the same boat really.’
The pandemic has already thrown the TV industry into chaos, with numerous series forced to halt filming including Line Of Duty, Casualty and Holby City.
Others such as Ant and Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway and The Last Leg continued without a studio audience, and some such as Have I Got News For You resuming by filming entire episodes on webcam.
Worries: Last week Oti Mabuse – who was crowned series champion last year – admitted Strictly’s future is still up in the air