THIS year’s series of Strictly Come Dancing will be delayed by nearly a month because of the Covid-19 crisis. BBC bosses have pushed back the start date to October — meaning the biggest programme on TV will have a shorter run. ⚠️ Read our coronavirus live blog for the latest news & updates It is likely to consist of nine or ten shows — compared to 13 last year, when actor Kelvin Fletcher won the title with partner Oti Mabuse.
As a result, producers are planning to have fewer celebrities and professional dancers taking part. The decision came a day after we revealed that BBC chiefs had axed The Apprentice this year because lockdown measures made it impossible to film.