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Strictly Come Dancing dancers have made headlines before the series has kicked off, amid reports that three pros have refused to get the coronavirus vaccine.

It has been claimed that dancers have shunned the Covid-19 jabs, which has caused ‘resentment’ among the rest of the cast and crew.

An unnamed dancer has tested positive for coronavirus and has been forced to isolate, with bosses thought to be ‘dreading’ further outbreaks behind the scenes.

Speaking of the decision on today’s instalment of Lorraine, Dr Hilary Jones has warned that their decisions could ‘create a problem’ backstage.

‘It’s really odd, it’s a grey area. This is particularly poignant because when you’re dancing cheek-to-cheek, you’re breathing somebody else’s exhaled breath, you’re touching them, you’re sweating together,’ he began.

‘It’s close, it’s intimate. This is not sitting a metre away from somebody at a desk with a screen between you. The guidelines are that employers, in this case the BBC, should minimise the risk, mitigate the risk, do health and safety assessments. Have they been done? I don’t know.’

The health expert also suggested that the celebrities competing should be made aware if their partner has chosen not to have the vaccine, but understands that this is not mandatory.

‘I think the person who is dancing with someone who is unvaccinated – if someone doesn’t want to be vaccinated that’s their choice, it’s not mandatory – but the other person, I think, as a courtesy should be told that their professional dance partner hasn’t been vaccinated,’ he continued.

‘Because it does increase their risk of being exposed. It’s really difficult. Obviously, whether you’re vaccinated or not is medically confidential unless you want to tell somebody else. I think it’s reasonable. After all, if this was any other infectious disease, I think you’d expect someone to say, “Oh, by the way I’m putting you at risk.”

‘But it’s a grey area, the government are saying you don’t have to work from home anymore, come into work, no social distancing needs to be done with people you don’t live with. So there are different ways of looking at this legally.

‘I think it could create a problem if another positive case breaks out, and the crew and the dancers become infected, the show is off and the schedule is down the drain. There are repercussions.’

The identities of the dancers have not been made public, with the pro who is currently isolating still under wraps.

A Strictly spokesperson previously said of the reports: ‘We do not comment on speculation of somebody’s Covid vaccination status.

‘Strictly Come Dancing production has, and will, continue to follow strict government guidelines to ensure the safety of all on the show.’

However, James Jordan has branded the unnamed professional dancers ‘selfish’ over their actions in a passionate rant, stating that they should not be taking part.

During an appearance on Good Morning Britain, the former Strictly star said: ‘I normally would protect the professional dancers until the cows come home but on this particular occasion, I can’t unfortunately.

‘I definitely believe that they don’t deserve their right on the show and the celebrities have every right to refuse to dance with them.

‘If the celebrities don’t want to dance with the professionals who haven’t been double vaccinated, that makes their job obsolete.

‘There are loads of professional dancers who would love to do Strictly, get them on there.’

‘We don’t know the health issues of some of the celebrities,’ he added. ‘You have different age groups on the show, you’ve got more mature people that are more at risk than young professional dancers.

‘I just think it’s a really selfish thing to do.’

Lorraine continues on weekdays, at 9am, on ITV.

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