Strictly Come Dancing 2020 might be bringing two same-sex pairings to compete in the Glitterball as part of a surprise shakeup to this year’s lineup. 

Due to the pressures of COVID-19, Strictly Come Dancing will be undergoing various changes in 2020, including much shorter run times, isolation bubbles, and fewer competitors. Among these changes, bosses of the popular BBC series are rumoured to be introducing a first for the show: two competing same-sex pairings.

In the build-up to the highly-anticipated Strictly Come Dancing 2020, there has been renewed interest in showcasing the first same-sex pairing in the competition’s 16-year long history. However, a surprising twist might be coming up which could change everything.

An insider from the show told Sun, “This is another intriguing twist in the journey. Everyone assumed producers would simply pair gay professional dancer Johannes Radebe with a male celebrity but they felt that was too obvious. Then there was a suggestion they would opt to put two women together. But nobody expected having pairings of both genders.”

Both Johannes Radebe and Graziano Di Prima are confirmed as professional dancers for Strictly Come Dancing 2020. They made history on the show as the first same-sex pairing to take the Glitterball floor by storm. 

However, according to widespread speculation, Made In Chelsea‘s Jamie Laing and fitness fanatic Joe Wicks might become one of the show’s first same-sex pairings. The second duo are believed to consist of professional dancer Katya Jones, who has been vocal in her hopes to be a part of a same-sex pairing. 

Following singer Ian ‘H’ Watkins and professional Matt Evers performance on ITV’s Dancing On Ice this year, pressure mounted on the hit BBC show to introduce a same-sex pairing. However, Strictly producers have made no confirmation surrounding the lineup. 

Previously, Strictly was rumoured to be shelving the idea of a same-sex pairing for fear of being predictable. One person shared, “Dancing On Ice featured two men, so it would be good to offer something different and keep pushing boundaries. While Johannes would love to dance with a guy, that would almost be too predictable.”

Strictly Come Dancing was pushed back to October 24, 2020, and will last for nine weeks. So at the moment, the only certainty remains that this competition will definitely be more intense than previous years as fewer competitors give it their all and find ways to think outside their bubble.