Strictly Come Dancing is set to make some exciting new changes to the popular BBC dancing competition series in 2022.
As reported by WalesOnline, although the show had made some temporary changes during the Covid lockdowns, newer changes will come into place this year.
During the height of the pandemic, there was no live studio audience, strict isolation rules were in place for the contestants, and perspex separated the judges from each other.
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But now, 2022 is the year of freedom as the separation panels will be removed from the judging panel, and the live viewers will return to the studio.
According to reports, the removal of the dividers on the judging panel was specifically requested by former Strictly dancer and new judge Anton Du Beke, who replaces long-term judge Bruno Tonioli on the show.
Anton has 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."
However, one change that was brought in during the pandemic will remain on the show.
This change is the weekly group performances being recorded in one batch, ahead of the main competition starting - instead of during the weekly episodes.
A source at the BBC said: "While final plans are still being nailed down and kept fluid, Strictly bosses are planning to pre-record some of the pro dancer routines again this summer.
"They are also hoping to have a full studio audience back watching the live show each week.”
The group dances usually open the Sunday results show and pre-pandemic would be performed live each week.
But Strictly bosses now intend to have them pre-recorded at the start of the series - and then air one dance per week - as they did during the pandemic, to give the dancers more time to train their celebrities each week without the distraction of another dance to learn.
Over the past two years, the professional dancers have had to isolate together in a hotel prior to the intensive filming days for the dances.
This year they will be able to move freely and return home if they live close enough to the studios in Elstree, Hertfordshire.
Bosses are also keen to get back to Blackpool in November after two years away.
Strictly is planning to return to TV in September 2022, with eight female and eight male pros.
However favourites Oti Mabuse and Alijaz Skorjanec will not return, as they have decided to leave the series.
