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3 February 2021, 10:17
Dancing on Ice have changed their approach to dealing with celebrities who test positive for coronavirus.
Dancing on Ice contestants who test positive for Covid-19 will now be axed from the series, a change ITV have made after Rufus Hound missed two weeks of the show after coming into contact with someone who contracted the virus.
The celebrities are tested twice a week for coronavirus and there are strict rules in place around the set and backstage to ensure staff and celebrities keep their distance.
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Producers have now informed the celeb skaters including Capital’s Sonny Jay, Rebekah Vardy and Billie Faiers, they will be immediately axed from the show if they test positive for coronavirus.
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An insider told the tabloids: “Any of the celebrities or their partners going down with Covid now would mean two weeks out of the competition and training.
“It would leave them dangerously under-trained and it's too risky to then have them skate.”
Producers have also taken the public vote into consideration, with the insider adding: “There's the integrity of the public vote, which is the most important thing on the show."
The format follows the same lengths BBC went to with Strictly Come Dancing, where Katya Jones and Nicola Adams were dropped from the competition after Katya tested positive.
Rufus is expected to return to Dancing on Ice on Sunday after missing two weeks of the competition due to his 10-day isolation period when he came into contact with someone with Covid and later tested positive himself.
He confirmed on Saturday 30 January on Twitter: “I've had COVID. Isolated when I knew I'd come into contact with it, tested five days later, am coming to the end of having had it, luckily v mild case.”
Dancing on Ice continues on Sunday nights at 6pm on ITV.
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