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Former Strictly Come Dancing contestant Susanna Reid, 49, has spoken out in response to speculation that the BBC show will be unable to present its beloved episode from Blackpool this year due to the coronavirus pandemic. The Good Morning Britain host, who finished as a runner-up in the eleventh series of Strictly with her partner Kevin Clifton in 2013, argued that cancelling the annual show at the famous Tower Ballroom would be “a significant blow” to the 2020 series.
Opening up about the situation in her MailOnline column, Susanna said: “Inevitable I suppose, but cancelling Blackpool would be a significant blow to Strictly Come Dancing.
“When you start out on the show, and reporters ask how you think you’ll get on, it’s almost illegal not to say ‘I just want to get to Blackpool’.”
The star went on to reflect on the moment she first entered the beautiful dance venue.
She recalled: “I’ll never forget the moment I was led, with my hands over my eyes, into the Tower Ballroom for the very first time.
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“The ornate ceiling, velvet boxes, and the Wurlitzer organ that emerged from the depths of the ballroom floor took my breath away.”
Susanna then gushed: “My dance partner Kevin Clifton choreographed a dramatic paso to music from Bizet’s Carmen, and the audience response at the end registered 108.6 decibels.”
After pointing out the significance of the Blackpool episode for both the contestants and viewers, the journalist admitted: “It will be so sad if the home of ballroom doesn’t see a Strictly show this year.”
Susanna’s comments come after sources claimed that Strictly 2020 could go ahead this year without a studio audience, group performances or the legendary Blackpool week.
Any changes made to the series will take place if social distancing measures are still being enforced.
An insider told the Daily Star: “It will be a very different show this year.
“A lot of the things fans love have been dropped. Group dances and a studio audience just can’t happen with social distancing.
“Cancelling the Blackpool weekend was not an easy decision. But doing it in the current climate is too difficult. It isn’t worth doing if there won’t be a crowd.”
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Express.co.uk has contacted a representative for Strictly for comment.
Meanwhile, Strictly: It Takes Two presenter Zoe Ball has also revealed the BBC show “might be slightly different” this year due to the COVID-19 outbreak.
Zoe told The Sun: “Whatever happens with the situation I know that they are going to put that show on somehow.”
The television and radio personality explained that Strictly may decide to film without a studio audience if social distancing rules are still in effect.
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Zoe added: “It might not have a studio audience, it might be slightly different.”
Strictly bosses suggested earlier this month that the show could film without a live studio audience this year for the first time.
In a social media post, BBC director of content Charlotte Moore said: “The other thing I would say is people think if it is a shiny floor it needs an audience and I don’t think that’s necessarily true.
“When you look at something like Drag Race which is a big shiny floor talent competition with all sorts of catwalks, singing, dancing, impressions – it never has an audience.”
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