While the world continues to reel from the widespread effects of the Coronavirus, Channel Ten’s Dancing With The Stars has managed to soldier on.
“As a live show, we’re one of the few entertainment shows that are still on. We haven’t had to stop production like The Voice or Big Brother,” explains host Amanda Keller.
“Just a few weeks ago Travis Cloke had a cold, and we made jokes about the man flu … we’d never do that now!”
Amanda Keller and fellow host Grant Denyer are soldiering on.
(Image: Network Ten)Despite staying on the air, Dancing With The Stars has been struck by the virus.
Christian Wilkins has been in quarantine after his father Richard tested positive to COVID-19, and the show has been filming without a studio audience.
“We thought [no audience] was the strangest thing we could imagine, then we have Christian and Lily performing in quarantine from his hotel roof,” Amanda, 58, says.
“I know the dancers are finding it hard, they take a lot of their energy from the crowd, so it can feel like you’re just in a rehearsal.”
Christian Wilkins and his dance partner Lily Cornish performed in quarantine from Christian’s hotel roof.
(Image: Network Ten)As it stands, the Dancing With The Stars grand final has been moved ahead to Sunday March 29, but Amanda was wary if the finale would go ahead at all, what with “the sands constantly shifting” beneath their feet.
“We have the best in precautions in the studio, we get our temperatures taken every ten minutes, we sanitise our hands, and we are no longer sharing equipment or microphones.”
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Despite so many constant challenges, the optimistic host believes this season has delivered, on and off the dance floor.
“It’s been amazing, we’ve seen some incredible dancers and routines,” beams Amanda.
“I think we all need a bit of an escape right now, you cant pick up your phone or read the news without impending horror closing in, it’s a terrifying time, and we’re not pretending that’s not happening, but we are hopefully offering a little bit of joy.”
The Dancing With The Stars finale will now take place on Sunday March 29.
(Image: Network Ten)