The BBC is making some big changes to Strictly Come Dancing when it returns later in 2022. Whilst the programme did run during the Covid lockdowns, strict safety measures were introduced to help keep the celebrities, professional dancers and members of the crew safe; including restrictions on the number of people who could be in the studio at any one time, plastic screens between the judges - and a temporary ban on inviting members of the public to sit in the studio audience.
But for the upcoming series this autumn, the full studio audience will be back - and the screens dividing the judges will be no more. As reported by The Mirror, the removal of the screens was specifically requested by former Strictly dancer and new judge Anton du Beke, who has replaced long-term judge Bruno Tonioli on the panel.
Anton said: "What I hope we are able to do this year, actually, is that we can get rid of the screens because we have had the screens up over the last couple of years and the judges slightly separated. I am hoping we can get a bit closer so we can have a bit more chat amongst ourselves.” You can get more TV news and other story updates by subscribing to our newsletters here.
