Strictly judge Bruno Tonioli has reportedly quit Strictly Come Dancing after 18 years on the hit BBC show.
The choreographer is understood to be stepping down to focus on his role on the American version of Strictly - Dancing With The Stars. Bruno has been a judge on the show since its launch in 2004, but missed the most recent series due to travel restrictions caused by the pandemic.
In a report by The Daily Mail, Bruno has "quit the show for good", leaving Strictly a judge down going into this year's series. A source said: "Bruno has quit the show for good. He's going to be a judge only on Dancing With The Stars from now on."
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Last year, Anton Du Beke stood in as a judge while Bruno was stuck in the USA, but he recently said he has not been informed whether he will be a judge again on the next series, WalesOnline has reported. Speaking with Sussex Life Magazine, he said: "I'm hoping to get a call to say, 'Look, here you go, come back judging please. But we'll wait and see. I'd like to think I'd be on the show in one way or another."
He added: "I wouldn't like to think they'd just get rid of me altogether. That would be a bit dramatic to go from dancer to judge to off the show. The truth is I haven't been told."
Bruno is just one of several departures for the 20th series of the show, with previous winners Aljaz Skorjanec and Oti Mabuse announcing they would not return for the upcoming series. Mabuse, 31, announced she was leaving the show back in February, while Skorjanec, 32, said he was quitting via Instagram in March.
In 2020, Mabuse lifted the Glitterball trophy with comedian Bill Bailey, and Skorjanec won with model and TV star Abbey Clancy in 2013.
But a number of dancers have confirmed their return to the show, also, with current champion Giovanni Pernice, Johannes Radebe, Nadiya Bychkova, Dianne Buswell, and Graziano Di Prima all returning to the Strictly ballroom. Dancers Amy Dowden, Karen Hauer, Katya Jones, Neil Jones, Gorka Marquez, Luba Mushtuk, and Nancy Xu will all be returning too.
The show’s executive producer, Sarah James, said: "We could not be more proud of the Strictly professional dancers and we are so happy to have so many returning for 2022. The world-class skill and extraordinary care they bring to everything they do, from working with their celebrity partners to choreographing and performing remarkable and unforgettable routines, never ceases to amaze us.
"They really are the best in the business and we can’t wait to see what they bring to the Strictly ballroom for our 20th fabulous series."
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