Strictly Come Dancing bosses are to ditch the Covid protocols of the past two years and allow a full studio audience to return when it films in the autumn.
They also intend to remove the screens between the judges, which was a specific plea from newly permanent panelist Anton du Beke when he was confirmed in the role last week.
After ousting long-term judge Bruno Tonioli from the panel for good, Anton said he was looking forward to the removal of the screens which have kept the judges from being able to gossip together since 2020.
He explained: “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 the 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.”
But some of the changes introduced in the wake of the pandemic will be kept, after show chiefs found they actually worked better.
These include recording the weekly group numbers with the professional dancers in one big batch ahead of the main competition starting.
One BBC source 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 tend to open the Sunday results shows and bosses have found that pre-recording them before the dancers start training their celebrities works better than trying to slot them in each week.
In the past two years, the group of pros has 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.
Last year executive producer Sarah James told the Mirror: “We are all so sad that we won’t be able to get to Blackpool this year but can’t wait to be back dancing at the one and only Blackpool Tower Ballroom in the future.”
The 2021 series saw the return of the themed weeks, which had to be abandoned in 2020 because of difficulties with hair and make-up.
The show, expected to kick off in September, is also aiming to have the full quota of celebrities.
The shock departures of Oti Mabuse and Aljaz Skorjanec leave 16 pros in total for 2022 - eight women and eight men.
