THE GREAT STRICTLY WHO JAB IT?

Never mind the dance off — it’s the Strictly vax off! As tensions grow behind the scenes over unvaccinated dancers and ‘shocked’ celebs, all you need to know about...

September is here, so it must be Strictly crisis season. And, true to form, not only has the show had to try to keep the lid on news that one professional dancer tested positive for Covid two weeks ago, they have had three dancers unmasked as unvaccinated, too.

the story has snowballed over the week amid a chorus of disapproval that includes not only former professional dancers but even the prime minister.

For who on earth would accept a job dancing cheek to cheek with a stranger for 13 weeks and not be vaccinated?

there are reports of consternation among the celebrity contingent, who are said to be ‘shocked’ that the show isn’t taking more care of them.

by thursday, the bbC was having to work hard to dampen speculation that at least one celebrity wanted to swap as a result of the hoo-ha.

It insisted that there would be no ‘re-couplings’ and that all of the celebrities were going to stick with the professionals that they were paired with during the lengthy launch show, broadcast last week.

One rather rattled beeb source described reports that the unvaccinated pros would sooner quit than submit to a jab as ‘bull **** .’

the corporation released a statement saying: ‘A lot has been written about vaccinations and Strictly in recent days. the bbC has never commented on nor confirmed the vaccination status of anyone on the show. It’s not our place to.

‘It is not the case that concerns have been raised with the bbC or the Strictly production team from dancers or celebrities about vaccination, or that they have threatened to quit.’

Contestants and viewers alike are now taking part in a Strictly guessing game. So who are the great unjabbed? And should the beeb be protecting them — or sidelining them in the

name of safety?

WHO CAN YOU RULE OUT?

Amy DOwDen, Giovanni pernice and reigning champion Oti mabuse have all had two Covid jabs.

Dowden, 31, who is teamed with pop star tom Fletcher, 36, was jabbed ahead of most of her age group because she suffers from Crohn’s disease. She spoke about her vaccinations earlier this year. She has danced on the bbC show since 2017.

Giovanni pernice, 31, partnering deaf actress rose Ayling-ellis, 26,

told Hello! magazine over the summer that he was doublejabbed and had been over to Italy to visit family.

He shares a flat in London with new pro Kai widdrington, 26, who is teamed with tV presenter A.J. Odudu, 33.

Oti mabuse, 31, teamed with rugby player Ugo monye, 38, is also double-jabbed.

IT WASN’T ME

DAnCer Luba mushtuk, 31, is without a celebrity partner this year.

As controversy raged over the unvaccinated dancers, she wrote on twitter: ‘no doubts here. Just saying.’

this has led some to think that she has had the jab, and is saying none too subtly that she wishes she had a celebrity to partner.

Her agent did not return requests for comment. there is a belief that

Johannes radebe, 34, paired with baker John whaite, 32, is also vaccinated. He took part in numerous shows over the summer, including filming Celebrity masterchef. On twitter in December a fan wrote: ‘Give Johannes the first

COVID-19 vaccine. we mUSt prOteCt HIm At ALL COStS!.’ Johannes, clearly tickled, retweeted it twice with crying laughing emojis. neither Luba’s nor Johannes’s agents responded to requests to comment.

PANTO PERIL

JUDGES Shirley Ballas, 61, and Anton Du Beke (left) are doing panto this year and will be going from Strictly recordings to rehearsals.

However the judges are in a bubble in the studio and kept distant from pros and competitors. On Good Morning Britain yesterday, Anton, 55, said: ‘It’s all taken seriously and everyone’s following government advice. If something spreads through the group then it’s the end of the show.’

Dancer Katya Jones, 32, is also in panto — she is the Evil Queen in Blackburn.

The Beeb has insisted that she take part in rehearsals via Zoom only until the filming of the show is over to minimise the risk of her bringing Covid into the studio.

CAN’T (OR WON’T) SAY

mAny of the professional dancers were this week citing privacy as a reason for not giving their vaccination status. popular Aljaz Skorjanec, 31, remained silent.

His agent said: ‘An individual’s Covid vaccination status is private medical information. this is an intrusion of privacy and we aren’t willing to comment or engage

further on this.’ much the same words were used by those speaking for Karen Hauer, 39.

others who declined to reveal their vaccination status include Graziano Di Prima, 27, Katya Jones, 32, Nadiya Bychkova, 32, Nancy Xu, 29, Neil Jones, 39, Kai Widdrington, Nikita Kuzmin, 23, Jowita Przystal, 27, Cameron Lombard, 20, and Dianne Buswell, 32. Gorka marquez, 31, who has a three-year-old daughter with former Strictly contestant Gemma Atkinson, 36, appeared on This morning on Thursday and repeated the party line.

He said: ‘What I know is the show is taking big responsibility to keep everyone safe, lots of testing, lots of trying to keep everyone distant and safe during the studio.’

Pressed about whether he would prefer to be in a vaccinated environment he said: ‘Do you know what, everyone is free to do whatever they want. You go on the streets right now, some people might be vaccinated, some people might not.’

COME THROUGH COVID

NADIYA BYCHKovA had Covid in July — testing positive soon after returning to the UK from Slovenia. She had to quarantine for ten days, as did some Strictly staff who had come into contact with her.

Katya Jones also had Covid, testing positive last year, which caused her and partner Nicola Adams to quit the show prematurely. That, though, was before vaccines were available.

The third pro who tested positive earlier this month is widely thought to be Nancy Xu, partnered with CBBC presenter Rhys Stephenson, 27. eagle-eyed fans have noted that her official portrait shows her in last year’s outfit, which may imply that she was quarantining at the time this year’s photo shoot took place.

The BBC say that the pro in question was able to take part in recording the launch show. They declined to comment on the pro’s identity. A BBC source pointed out that those who have had Covid may also be vaccinated.

QUARANTINERS

NeIL JoNeS, partnered with actress Nina Wadia, 52, had to quarantine in June after returning from a holiday in mexico. He was notified that a passenger on his plane had tested positive for Covid.

Dianne Buswell, partnered with comedian Robert Webb, 48, quarantined in a hotel for 14 days this summer after she returned to her native Australia to visit family. Hotel quarantine is mandatory in Australia regardless of vaccination status.

UNPARTNERED TRIO

THeRe are only three unassigned dancers — newcomers Cameron Lombard, Jowita Przystal and Luba mushtuk.

PROS ALL ELIGIBLE?

YeS — those who live elsewhere, or are not British residents, are eligible to have the vaccinations in the UK. Age will also not be an issue. The youngest dancer, Nikita Kuzmin, is 23 and would have been offered a first jab in June, and a second six weeks later. You don’t have to have an NHS number, GP or any official documents to ask for a vaccine.

VULNERABLE CELEBS

Some of the celebrities are

potentially more vulnerable to Covid owing to underlying health conditions.

Loose Women’s Judi Love, 41, calls herself a ‘big girl’ and ‘meaty’. Adults with excess weight are at increased risk of severe illness from Covid, and being obese may as much as triple the risk of hospitalisation because of infection.

Actor and author Robert Webb had heart surgery two years ago for a birth defect in his mitral valve, which stops blood flowing the wrong way in the heart. He was off work for almost four months.

THE BEEB IN A BIND

THe BBC explain that they have felt unable to ask celebrities or dancers if they are vaccinated because this is not a legal requirement — and they would lay themselves open to legal action if they did so.

Reports suggest that two out of the three unvaccinated dancers do not have celebrity partners.

A source adds that all celebrities in the show were aware they would not know if others had been jabbed. As to the question of whether there really are three unvaccinated dancers, I’m told: ‘We cannot confirm or deny it because that is a private medical matter.’

officially, the Beeb say: ‘We have in place strict procedures to protect those on the show and the wider production.

‘Among the many measures in place on Strictly, the dancers are tested regularly to be in close contact with their partners. The cast, crew and everyone working on Strictly are focused on this weekend’s first live show and delivering another brilliant series.’

The professional dancers stay at a hotel in elstree, Hertfordshire, and pre-record most group numbers. The dancers and all the competitors are tested multiple times a week.

The isolation period for anyone testing positive has been shortened to ten days and contestants will be allowed to sit out one week and then return. meanwhile, the audience is limited and there will be no trip to Blackpool.

DANCE FLOOR DIVIDED

FoRmeR contestants and professionals have commented on the show’s approach. Dr Ranj Singh, 42, an NHS doctor who competed in Strictly three years ago, said: ‘We should all be playing our part and do whatever we can to try and keep everybody safe.’

He added: ‘There may be legitimate reasons for those people to not be able to have the jab and we have got to understand that.’

Former Strictly dancer A.J. Pritchard, 26, said: ‘We’ve gone and helped at vaccination centres, helped people get the jabs. We’re both double-jabbed and we feel like for the entertainment industry, the theatres, the live feeling . . . to get that back to full capacity, the jab is helping. That says it for us and that’s where we stand.’

Former Strictly dancer James Jordan, 43, said the trio were putting lives at risk and should be thrown off the show.

Prime minister Boris Johnson said: ‘I think that’s a matter for producers but I strongly believe that people should get vaccinated.’