‘Strictly Come Dancing’ may have to return without a live audience.
The BBC is currently looking at its options regarding the future of the Latin and ballroom competition – which was won last year by Kelvin Fletcher his pro partner Oti Mabuse – and with the current social distancing guidelines, things remain uncertain amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Speaking during a virtual panel on the Edinburgh TV Festival on Tuesday (28.04.20), the broadcaster’s director of content Charlotte Moore admitted she is "looking very carefully" at the situation.
She added: "The other thing I would say is [people think] if it is shiny floor, it needs an audience, and I don’t think that’s necessarily true.
"When you look at something like [‘RuPaul’s Drag Race’], which is a big shiny floor talent competition with all sorts of catwalks, singing, dancing, impressions – it never has an audience.
"The audience is the four judges and I don’t think it suffers from that at all. I think it is a brilliant show!"
Charlotte insisted bringing ‘Strictly’ back later this year in some form was "one of our big priorities", but admitted "inevitably things are going to change".
Her comments come after head judge Shirley Ballas insisted bosses will do "everything in their power" to get the show on air in September.
She previously said: "I spoke to Sarah, the executive producer, throughout the week, and of course you definitely don’t know what’s going to happen tomorrow, but I know they will definitely do everything in their power, if it’s conceivably possible, they will get that show on the air by September.
"So, it’s fingers crossed, let’s see how we go day to day.
"But I know they understand it’s an important show for the nation, and I think people will ready for that come the winter months.
"Fingers crossed, if everyone self-isolates and we all do what we’re supposed to do then there’s no reason why we shouldn’t be up and running by the end of the year."
Strictly Come Dancing could ditch live audience for next series
