The Strictly Come Dancing professionals and crew members will reportedly be required to isolate for six weeks as part of the build-up to this year's show.

The coronavirus pandemic means that this year's series will be chopped from 13 weeks to just nine, with the first episode not airing until the end of October.

The professional dancers will spend most of August living together in a hotel in order to rehearse and pre-record the group dances then will required to complete another two weeks of isolation at home before they meet their celebrity partners in September.

At that point the professionals and celebrities will form 'household bubbles' with each other, allowing them to train together before the series begins a month later.

"These are unprecedented times," a source told The Sun. "The crew and dancers are still reeling at being told how extreme the measures have to be. They've left one lockdown for another.

"They've got girlfriends, boyfriends, wives, husbands, children and pets - it's not going to be easy being separated for that length of time.

"Nevertheless, they love the show and are determined to bring it back to our screens."

The BBC has yet to confirm whether the series will be staged in front of a live studio audience.

> Every name in the frame for this year's Strictly Come Dancing