Strictly Come Dancing have made sure this year's series goes without a hitch amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, however, this weekend's episode will be bittersweet for one reason. It's usually this time of the month when the cast and crew prepare for the Blackpool special.
Strictly dressmaker Theresa Hewlett expressed her sadness on Wednesday, tweeting: "Oh we would normally be off to Blackpool this week for the Strictly episode… really missing going this year! It's a 'marmite' sort of place but I love its dance history."
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In September, the BBC confirmed that the special would not take place due to coronavirus restrictions. However, the team will still be "celebrating the iconic venue" from Elstree studio.
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"Blackpool is a milestone moment in every series of Strictly that our audience, our celebs and professional dancers look forward to," a BBC spokesman said at the time. "Whilst we'll be unable to physically go to Blackpool this series, we'll still be celebrating this iconic venue and bringing it to life from our studio in Elstree."
The Blackpool special has been cancelled this year
Strictly's annual special at Blackpool is filmed in one of the country's most historic ballrooms. And over the years, the live show is seen as one of the highlights of the series. The northern city is renowned for being a home for ballroom dancing, having hosted the Blackpool Dance Festival since 1920.
This year's competition will also be shorter compared to previous years, and will not have a live audience in the studio anymore. The professional dancers have also stayed within their respective bubbles while the judges remain socially-distanced. If any celebrity tests positive for COVID-19, they will be automatically out of the competition due to the two-week isolation period.
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