Strictly Come Dancing star Kym Marsh will be absent from this week’s live show after contracting Covid, bosses have confirmed.
In a statement issued on Tuesday afternoon, a BBC spokesperson said: “Kym Marsh has tested positive for Covid-19.
“As a result, Kym and Graziano will not be taking part in Strictly Come Dancing this weekend.”
The former Hear’Say singer is expected to return to the ballroom for the following week’s live show, with Strictly’s representative adding: “Strictly Come Dancing protocols mean that all being well, they will return the following week.”
Kym has been partnered with Graziano Di Prima on this year’s series, with the pair receiving 33 points during Saturday’s live show, which saw Strictly returning to Blackpool’s Tower Ballroom for the first time since before the pandemic.
While Kym and Graziano’s score put them second from bottom of the leaderboard, they managed to garner enough public support to avoid the dreaded dance-off.
Instead, CBBC presenter Molly Rainford landed in the bottom two alongside radio DJ Tyler West, with the judges ultimately opting to send the latter home.
Saturday’s live show also saw Fleur East bagging the first perfect score of the series for her Couple’s Choice routine, which was set to a medley of Destiny’s Child hits.
During last year’s series, Graziano was also forced to take a week off from Strictly when his former celebrity partner Judi Love also tested positive for Covid, returning to the ballroom a week later after she made a recovery.
Strictly Come Dancing continues on Saturday night on BBC One.