Strictly's Rylan Clark-Neal to miss It Takes Two after coming into contact with Covid

Strictly's Rylan Clark-Neal is isolating for two weeks after coming into contact with a Covid positive case.

The 32-year-old is being forced to miss two weeks of both his BBC Radio 2 show, as well as Strictly spin-off It Takes Two, which he co-hosts with Zoe Ball.

He's hunkered down in his Essex home, where he'll sit it out for the required two-week period - despite testing negative for the bug.

Taking to Instagram this morning, Rylan wrote: "I found out this week that someone I have been in recent contact with outside of work has tested positive for coronavirus.

"I am therefore now following the government guidelines and having to isolate.

Rylan is isolating for two weeks (BBC/Ray Burmiston)

"I have sought out a COVID test and thankfully that has returned a negative result.

"That does mean I will miss the next 2 weeks of Strictly It Takes Two and my BBC Radio 2 Saturday show.

"I look forward to being back soon and wish all the couples good luck for this weekend."

"Rylan is gutted but he's got no choice," an insider remarked to The Sun.

Zoe will take on full hosting duties as Rylan isolates (BBC)

An insider said Rylan's 'gutted' to be missing It Takes Two and his radio show (Dave Benett/Getty Images for Amazon)

"He'd usually be hosting the show tonight so it's a bit of a shock but he understands it's the right thing to do."

Current guidelines say anyone who comes into contact with someone with coronavirus should isolate for 14 days, as it can take up to a fortnight for symptoms to appear.

Zoe will now take on hosting duties until Rylan is back.

The BBC are taking Covid-safety rules very seriously, enforcing a strict physical contact ban on this year's Strictly roster.

HRVY, one of the favourites to win, isolated for two weeks ahead of the opening show after testing positive.

HRVY was forced to isolate before the show (BBC)

Rylan's fears were allayed when lockdown 2.0 went into effect after admitting he was worried another lockdown would mean the end of Strictly.

But the show's been allowed to go ahead with its Covid-safety measures, and without the live audience.

He told MailOnline : "If Strictly can't go ahead for whatever reason, of course it won't.

Covid has meant Bruno is stuck in the States (ITV)

"The main thing that Strictly and the BBC have said since day one is, if we can't do it properly and safely, it's not going to be done.

"As far as I know at the moment, it's all still going ahead and we are really looking forward to it."

And this year also sees the absence of judge Bruno Tonioli, after Covid threw a spanner into his travel plans back from the States.