She’s set to light up the dance floor in her role as a professional dancer when Strictly Come Dancing returns to screens next month.
And amid the highly anticipated comeback of the BBC show, Karen Hauer was seen arriving for show rehearsals at a London studio on Sunday.
The Venezuelan beauty, 38, appeared in high spirits as she prepared to practice her moves amid reports she’s set to be coupled with boxer Nicola Adams in the show’s first same-sex pairing.
Let’s go: Karen Hauer was seen arriving for Strictly Come Dancing rehearsals at a London studio on Sunday ahead of the BBC show’s highly anticipated return
Karen had her hands full as she arrived at the studio door, juggling her bags and yoga mat as well as clutching onto her mobile phone and keys.
The dancer cut a casual figure for the outing, sporting a khaki green jacket, lilac T-shirt and a chunky black scarf.
She added a simple pair of black leggings and bright pink trainers to her look, while she covered her face with a disposable mask.
The platinum-haired star at first appeared to struggle with the door before being helped inside.
Ready: The Venezuelan beauty, 38, appeared in high spirits as she prepared to practice her moves amid reports she’s set to be coupled with boxer Nicola Adams in the show’s first same-sex pairing
It comes amid reports that Karen could be paired up with Olympian Nicola Adams, 37, in the show’s first same-sex pairing.
According to bookmakers Ladbrokes, Karen is firm favourite to team up with Nicola, with her odds coming in at 5/4.
She’s battling it out with Katya Jones who is at 2/1, while Oti Mabuse comes in at 3/1.
A source told Express.co.uk: ‘The fingers are pointing towards fan favourite Karen and Nicola being paired together to make Strictly history.’
In demand: There is speculation that Karen is tipped to make history with Nicola Adam’s (pictured)
Busy bee: Karen had her hands full as she arrived at the studio door, juggling her bags and yoga mat as well as clutching onto her mobile phone and keys
Ready for work: The dancer cut a casual figure for the outing, sporting a khaki green jacket, lilac T-shirt and a chunky black scarf
Arrival: Karen exited her car with her hands full of things ahead of rehearsals for the BBC dance show
They continued: ‘It goes without saying all of the female professionals would love to partner with Nicola this year.
‘It’s the most sought after position in showbiz right now and it looks like Strictly stalwarts Karen, Katya and Oti are the front runners.’
A Strictly representative declined to comment when approached by MailOnline.
Karen meanwhile has previously expressed her desire to be partnered with a female contestant.
She said to The Sun on Sunday: ‘It’s a beautiful way to showcase emotion on stage and I’d definitely like to do it.
Precautions: Karen followed guidelines by donning a protective mask as she arrived at the studio
Tipped: It comes amid reports that Karen could be paired up with Olympian Nicola Adams, 37, in the show’s first same-sex pairing
Easy does it: The platinum-haired star at first appeared to struggle with the door before being helped inside
‘I’ve danced with women a lot over the years, so I feel very comfortable about it. All the dancers would love to see it on the show.’
Nicola has also shared her excitement with dancing with another woman as she explained: ‘It’s amazing to be a part of the movement for change, diversity and breaking boundaries in the entertainment industry.’
Speaking live from her home on BBC Breakfast, Nicola said of her groundbreaking all-female pairing: ‘It’s really important, it’s a big step for the show as well. It’s nice to see we’ve been able to move on and I just can’t wait to get some dancing done really.’
Revealing she approached Strictly with the idea for a same-sex pairing, Nicola explained: ‘I asked the show about it. They wanted to know if I wanted to be on the show and I said “yeah I’ll do it but I want to dance with another female dance partner”.’
One strike and you’re out! Strictly contestants and professional dancers (pictured) face being disqualified from the show if they test positive for coronavirus
Shake-up: In a recent Q&A, executive producer Sarah James detailed the new Covid-friendly format, which also includes a socially distanced judging panel and contestant ‘bubbles’
Elsewhere, Strictly Come Dancing contestants and professional dancers face being disqualified from this year’s show if they test positive for coronavirus in a strict one-strike rule, bosses have revealed.
In a recent industry Q&A, executive producer Sarah James detailed the new Covid-friendly format, which also includes a socially distanced judging panel and contestant ‘bubbles’, with one party being required to live alone.
Sarah also shed light on the show’s contingency plans in light of the pandemic and insisted she’s ‘confident’ the competition series will go ahead even if the current coronavirus restrictions change from October 17.
As the nation waits to see how the pair will fare with their dance partners, Strictly bosses have drawn up tough plans to deal with anyone who falls ill.
Sarah said: ‘Obviously according to government guidelines if you receive a positive test you have to isolate for two weeks and that would unfortunately rule them out of the show.’
Changes: (L-R) Only three judges – Craig Revel Horwood, Motsi Mabuse and Shirley Ballas – will be in the studio, while Bruno Tonioli has said he will be ‘involved remotely’
Keeping a distance: The panel will be giving the stars feedback from separate rostrums (pictured)
This year’s series will be a pared down nine-week run with a very different look. The 12 partnerships – three less than usual – will be unveiled via video link rather than in the studio and the annual trip to the Blackpool Tower ballroom is also off the cards.
Only three judges – Craig Revel Horwood, Shirley Ballas and Motsi Mabuse – will be in the studio with separate rostrums, and the dancers will sit in the audience rather than go upstairs to get their scores.
Veteran judge Bruno Tonioli has said he will be ‘involved remotely’ and hopes to return full-time towards the end of the series as he is filming the US version of the show in Los Angeles.
With limited studio crew, big sets may not be built – so producers will use augmented reality, which adds computer-generated elements.
Back to business! The professionals spent two weeks in September isolating in a Buckinghamshire hotel so they could rehearse the group number
To ensure the contestants can work closely with their partners, they will get tested regularly and ‘bubble up’.
‘Close contact cohorts (CCC) apply to people who need to work closely and break social distancing rules to do their jobs. It has to only be with one person and you are regularly tested’, the BBC executive said.
‘We are asking the celebrity contestants to be part of an exclusive support bubble with their dancers, which means that one half of the party has to live alone.’
Covid-friendly: The dancers will sit in the audience rather than go upstairs to get their scores
The professionals spent two weeks in September isolating in a Buckinghamshire hotel so they could rehearse the group numbers.
Sarah also discussed how hairdressers and make-up artist have had to adjust to the new guidelines as she added: ‘Hair and make-up and costume are all allowed in accordance with government guidelines.
‘We were able to have our hair and make-up team working with full PPE and sanitising once hairdressers and other facilities reopened.
‘Hair and make-up were able to work with as many of the different cast as they wanted or needed to, but this year we’ll have specific makeup teams assigned to specific couples to ensure people don’t mix as much.’
Switch-up: With limited studio crew, big sets may not be built – so producers will use augmented reality, which adds computer-generated elements
‘They’ll be working with full PPE’: Sarah also discussed how hairdressers and make-up artist have had to adjust to the new guidelines as she added (Giovanni Pernice pictured in 2018)
Earlier this month, a former crew member was reported to have Covid-19, but the producer revealed there was ‘minimal impact’ on the series as the worker in question was removed from set and had two more tests which came back as negative.
She shared: ‘He had a test when working on another show and it came back positive, which meant all of our contingencies kicked in. I was really impressed with how brilliantly the team responded.
‘Everyone who was contact with him or had visited any areas he did were immediately sent home for a test and weren’t allowed back on site until they received their negative test results.’
‘The person in question had two more tests which both came back as negative. Although it was a false alarm, it was a great dry run for us.
‘We have contingency plan for every eventuality. We have changed things regularly, but we are confident we’ll still be able to put the show on.’
Comeback: ‘We have contingency plan for every eventuality. We have changed things regularly, but we are confident we’ll still be able to put the show on’, the executive said