BRUNO TONIOLI TO APPEAR ON STRICTLY VIA VIDEO LINK

BBC confirm Bruno will be part of the upcoming series.

It's been announced that Strictly judge Bruno Tonioli will be part of the next series, both appearing remotely and in person towards the end of the series.

Due to travel restrictions imposed due to the Coronavirus Pandemic, Bruno cannot travel to and from the States, where he had judging commitments on Dancing With The Stars.

Bruno will be keeping a close eye on the series and watch all the dances. He will appear every week, via video call, during the Sunday night results programme to deliver his verdict. Then, towards the end of the series, Bruno will make his grand return to the show in person.

Bruno said: "I absolutely adore being part of Strictly and can't wait to see what incredible dancing this year has in store! Lockdown has resulted in me being in LA for the foreseeable, but I'm excited to be involved as much as I possibly can. There was no cha-cha-chance I'd miss out!"

Sarah James, executive producer of Strictly, said: "I'm overjoyed that we've found a way for Bruno to be part of this year's Strictly. His passion and enthusiasm are such a big part of the show, I'm thrilled we can continue to deliver that to audiences this year."

Strictly Come Dancing is expected to start in October on BBC One.