Strictly Come Dancing 2020 is set for a massive shake up in the form of not one but two same-sex pairings.
BBC bosses are reportedly keen to create two male and female couples in order to keep things interesting.
Last year, Ian 'H' Watkins made Dancing On Ice history when he was the first celebrity to dance with a same-sex partner, Matt Evers.
The pairing went down an absolute treat with viewers at home and this has ultimately encouraged unsure Strictly bosses to make the move after 16 years.
Opening up about the massive twist in the upcoming series, an insider told The Sun that the 2020 series would be less 'predictable' than other years.
The inside telly source revealed: “This is another intriguing twist in the journey.
“Everyone assumed producers would simply pair gay pro Johannes Radebe with a male celebrity, but they felt that was too obvious. Then there was a suggestion they would opt to put two women together.
"But nobody expected having pairings of both genders."
Among some of the stars tipped to join the 2020 lineup are Katie Price and former Corrie star Michelle Keegan.
Also hotly rumoured to burst their moves on the dance floor are Made In Chelsea's Jamie Laing and fitness fanatic Joe Wicks.
Professional Strictly dancer Katya Jones has previously stated that she would love to have a same-sex partner on the show - making the Russian-born star the obvious choice for pairings.
Last year, Strictly featured a poignant same-sex performance from Johannes and fellow pro Graziano Di Prima.
Although it was received well by the majority of spectators, it did receive a whopping 189 complaints by viewers, with some even labelling it 'offensive'.
This is in stark comparison to Dancing On Ice's same-sex couple debut last year.
During his debut dance with partner Matt, over 4.5 million viewers tuned in, and out of those, only 16 people complained to Ofcom regarding the men dancing together.
It comes as the Covid-19 crisis is cutting Strictly Come Dancing short this year – with an October start date and fewer celebrities taking part.
The series will be delayed by a fortnight as BBC bosses try to keep everyone safe while filming within the safety guidelines.
Extra time is needed to isolate the professionals between recording group dances in late August and starting rehearsals with their celeb partners.
The pros will live together in a hotel amid group session filming, then be quarantined for 14 days.
Only then can they start rehearsals for the main show with their celebrity. The partners will be in a “bubble”, allowing them to dance freely while in close contact.
Do you have a story to sell? Get in touch with us at webcelebs@trinitymirror.com or call us direct 0207 29 33033
