Strictly Come Dancing: Shorter series planned for 2020

Oti Mabuse and Kelvin Fletcher were crowned the winners of the 2019 series

Strictly Come Dancing will return to BBC One this autumn, but the 2020 series will be "slightly" shorter than usual due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The BBC said adjustments would be made "to ensure we deliver the high standards audiences know and love".

"The safety of our cast and crew is of the utmost importance to us," it said, promising updates "in due course".

The announcement follows news that this year's series of The Apprentice has been called off.

The BBC has not announced how long the 2020 series of Strictly will be and how many celebrities will take part. Strictly normally begins in September, and ends in mid-December.

Kevin Clifton and AJ Pritchard are leaving, but the line-up of professional dancers will otherwise remain the same.

They are set to start rehearsing remotely at the end of July and could be isolated along with key production members.

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However, it is not certain whether Bruno Tonioli will be able to combine his judging role with his duties on Strictly's US sister show Dancing with the Stars.

The two shows' shooting schedules typically coincide, necessitating numerous Transatlantic flights for the ebullient Italian.

Former Emmerdale actor Kelvin Fletcher won last year's final, having entered as a last-minute replacement for Made In Chelsea's Jamie Laing.

Fletcher's victory alongside professional dancer Oti Mabuse marked the latter's first grand final triumph since joining the show in 2015.

Laing may return to compete in this year's series, alongside such other rumoured contenders as former BBC Radio 1 presenter Maya Jama.