BBC bosses are adamant that the series will go ahead

Reality TV (and new TV shows in general) in 2020 may be slim-pickings as we head further into the year, but one show that won't be going away is the hit BBC series.

In order for the 2020 series to go ahead, a pretty severe six-week 'Strictly Come Dancing' lockdown is to be put in place for all of the new and returning dance crew. Before the new series can go ahead, all dancers will have to subject themselves to a prolonged isolation period in order to be part of the show.

Although no celebrities have yet been announced for the BBC's flagship series, it is believed that all professional dancers will have to abide by the strict rules. The new series is to begin on October 24, which is one month later than usual.

Before filming can begin, all professional dance partners will be held in a central London hotel for four weeks of rehearsals before they go home for two weeks of further isolation. The dancers will then meet their celebrity partners before recording can begin at Elstree Studios.

A source told The Sun: "These are unprecedented times. The crew and dancers are still reeling at being told how extreme the measures have to be. They've left one lockdown for another. They've got girlfriends, boyfriends, wives, husbands, children and pets - it's not going to be easy being separated for that length of time.

"Nevertheless, they love the show and are determined to bring it back to our screens. The lockdown only affects people that need to be within two metres of each other. They’ll be constantly tested — that goes without saying," they added.

As well as starting later in the autumn, the 2020 series will reportedly only run for nine weeks instead of the usual 13. No celebrities have yet been announced for the 2020 series, but Jamie Laing, who bowed out of last year's competition before filming even began, is believed to be amongst the rumoured line-up.

Yesterday evening it was announced that the Irish equivalent, 'Dancing with the Stars', will be axed from RTE One's winter schedule. RTE's Head of Entertainment John McHugh said in a statement: "After much discussion, we feel the risks are too high with a production of this scale to proceed with the series in 2021 and we hope to revisit the show in 2022."

With all of these restrictions in place, maybe the age-old 'Strictly' curse won't come to fruition this year... right?