Cheryl Tweedy will not replace Bruno Tonioli on ‘Strictly Come Dancing’.
Bruno – who is on the panel with Shirley Ballas, Craig Revel Horwood and Motsi Mabuse – recently tipped Cheryl to take over as he may not be able to fly over from Los Angeles to film this year’s instalment due to the Covid-19 pandemic travel restrictions.
However, show bosses have insisted that the BBC One programme will go ahead with just three judges and they have no plans to bring in an outsider to replace him.
A source told The Sun newspaper’s Bizarre TV column: "As things stand, Bruno won’t be replaced and they’ll switch to three judges.
"The BBC hope the rules on flying will be relaxed by the autumn which means Bruno should be able to take part.
"They don’t want to go through a long process of replacing him when he could have done it anyway so it’s very doubtful Cheryl will be there, not as a judge anyway."
Bruno has had ‘Fresh Prince of Bel-Air’ actor Alfonso Ribeiro step in for him for Week Five of ‘Strictly’ for two consecutive years, because of his filming commitments to ‘Dancing with the Stars’ in the US.
The Italian choreographer and dancer recently insisted he has accepted that the situation is "beyond [his] control" and he has no idea what will happen.
He said: "For years and years I’ve spent two days of each week on the plane flying between London and LA.
"I leave America on Wednesday and come back every Sunday but now it’s impossible and, because of the current travel restrictions, it’s beyond my control.
"Under normal circumstances I take a deep breath and do the travel. I love the show and love to do it and normally I’m destroyed by Christmas, but this year is different for everyone.
"Under the current restrictions they just won’t allow it. I don’t know what’s going to happen."