This year’s Strictly Come Dancing stars have reportedly been banned from going to parties amid the BBC’s ‘paranoia’ about another Covid outbreak on the show.
It comes after Tom Fletcher and Amy Dowden tested positive for coronavirus two weeks ago and were forced to miss last Saturday’s show to isolate.
Now The Mirror reports that the professionals and their celebrity partners have been advised not to socialise too much to avoid further disruption.
Drama: This year’s Strictly Come Dancing stars have reportedly been banned from going to parties amid the BBC’s ‘paranoia’ about another Covid outbreak on the show
A source told the publication: ‘Paranoia is swirling round the BBC studios – everyone is fearful of getting Covid and ruining their chances.
‘They’ve been advised to avoid big events or partying – anything that could see them testing positive for the virus.
‘Producers have been very clear that health and safety come first, which means contestants have had to forego painting the town red as was customary in previous years.’
A representative for Strictly told MailOnline in response to the claims: ‘We do not comment on speculation of somebody’s COVID vaccination status.
Rules: The Mirror reports that the professionals and their celebrity partners have been advised not to socialise too much to avoid further disruption
‘Strictly Come Dancing production continues to follow strict government and industry guidelines to ensure the safety of all on the show.’
Strictly stars would normally attend parties after the shows and are invited to the NTAs which take place on September 9.
However this year they were all in isolation ahead of the programme’s launch on September 18.
It Takes Two host Janette Manrara was sent to pick up their award for Best Talent Show at the ceremony.
Oh dear: It comes after Tom Fletcher and Amy Dowden tested positive for coronavirus two weeks ago and were forced to miss last Saturday’s show to isolate
She also attended the TRIC Awards on September 15 – where the rest of the Strictly team were missing yet again.
Olympic swimmer Adam Peaty is the only cast member to have been seen at a showbiz event – at the GQ Awards on September 1.
It comes after Tom and Amy were both forced to miss last week’s Strictly’s after announcing they’d tested positive for coronavirus.
Despite social distancing no longer being a legal requirement, Strictly have enforced their own measurements for cast and crew amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
Replacement: It Takes Two host Janette Manrara was sent to pick up their award for Best Talent Show at the NTAs after none of the dancers attended due to be in isolation ahead of the series
Strictly bosses were reportedly considering ‘scrapping the show’s live audience and re-introducing quarantine bubbles for celebrities and their professional dancers,’ in the wake of Tom and Amy’s positive tests.
A crisis meeting is said to have been held after Tom and his partner Amy tested positive for Covid despite having been double-jabbed.
A source has revealed ‘there is nothing they aren’t willing to consider’ in order to keep the show rolling full steam ahead.
They told The Sun: ‘These would be radical steps to take to increase safety on the set, but given the difficulties producers have had over the past two weeks, there’s nothing they aren’t willing to consider.
Decisions: Strictly bosses were reportedly considering ‘scrapping the show’s live audience and re-introducing quarantine bubbles for celebrities and their professional dancers,’ in the wake of Tom and Amy’s positive tests (Judi and Graziano perform on Saturday night)
‘But if they did have to go down this route, it would be a logistical nightmare and might leave some of the stars with a dilemma as many of them are juggling their dance training with their day jobs.’
Strictly bosses previously admitted they ‘aren’t bulletproof’ to COVID-19 in the wake of Tom and Amy’s positive tests.
It’s understood that show producers were quietly ‘dismayed’ after hearing of their shock diagnosis two Sunday’s ago, with the pair ruled out of the following Saturday’s show while they recovered from the contagious respiratory bug.
Amy, who received her COVID-19 vaccination prior to contracting the illness, had previously accompanied Tom and his McFly bandmates during their current UK tour.
But the BBC told MailOnline there are no plans to increase testing because they are ‘satisfied’ the measures they currently have in place are as good as they can be.
‘Tom and Amy’s positive test was the worst possible news,’ an insider told MailOnline.
‘After days of negative headlines about dancers not getting the jab, producers had hoped the start of the show would see them turn a corner and put this story to bed.
They’re back! Tom and his partner Amy returned to the dance floor on Saturday night for the Strictly Come Dancing Movie Week special after missing last week’s show following their positive Covid tests
‘So for Amy and Tom to go down with COVID was absolutely crushing news and left everyone dismayed.
‘But BBC bosses are refusing to panic. They believe the measures in place are as good as they can be. They’ve always been clear that nothing is going to be bulletproof and producers can only follow Government guidelines.
‘They are now just hoping nobody else comes down with the virus because that would really put the show in danger of being cancelled.’
The new series of Strictly has already been embroiled in controversy over reports that three of the professional dancers are unvaccinated, although there is no suggestion that either Tom or Amy were among this number.