Strictly Come Dancing pro Neil Jones will not be partnered with a celebrity this year, show bosses have confirmed.
Speaking in a recent interview with Entertainment Daily and other news outlets, executive producer Sarah James revealed the news that’ll no doubt come as a blow to fans of the flame-haired dancer.
Last year on Strictly, Neil was partnered with former England footballer Alex Scott.
This year, however, Neil has been demoted and will only appear in group dances.
What have Strictly bosses said about Neil Jones?
Sarah revealed: “We have four professional dancers who won’t be partnering celebrities this year.
“They are Nadiya Bychkova, Neil Jones, Graziano Di Primo and Nancy Xu.”
Read more: Maisie Smith shows off her abs ahead of Strictly rehearsals
Sarah explained that the foursome would be forming close contact cohorts together, or CCCs.
CCCs are a “workplace guideline that apply to people who need to be able to work more closely together and break social distancing in order to do their job,” she explained.
We have four professional dancers who won’t be partnering celebrities this year. They are Nadiya Bychkova, Neil Jones, Graziano Di Primo and Nancy Xu.
Of the four pros not being partnered with a celeb, Sarah added the CCCs would mean they could perform on the results show alongside the guest musical act.
She revealed: “They will be forming CCCs together so that they are able to dance during the guest musical act.”
What about the group dances?
Neil will also feature in the group dances alongside his fellow pros.
All 14 of the dances have now been recorded ahead of the show’s start on Saturday October 24.
Read more: Tamzin Outhwaite tells ED! Strictly is a box she ‘wants to tick’
Speaking about further coronavirus measures, Sarah revealed celebrities and their professional partners would be forming support bubbles.
“We are asking our celebrities and dancers to be part of an exclusive bubble,” she said.
“But that means that one half has to live alone. So either the dancer or the celebrity will be living on their own in order to form the bubble for the duration of the series.”
What are the other changes?
Meanwhile, other changes to the show’s format have been announced.
There will sadly be no Halloween week, Blackpool is also no more for the 2020 series.
Bruno Tonioli will return via video link in the weekly results show.
And Claudia Winkleman will only be able to chat to one couple at a time.
The others will watch the competition from socially distanced tables in the audience.
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