Boris Johnson urges unvaccinated Strictly Come Dancing pros to get jabs amid calls to sack unnamed trio

Even Boris has his say on the Strictly vaccine row (Picture: BBC)

Boris Johnson has urged the three Strictly Come Dancing professionals refusing the Covid vaccine to get jabbed.

The BBC series is said to be in chaos backstage over polarising views on the vaccine as three dancers that have been given a celebrity partner have turned their back on the vaccine, potentially putting the entire show at risk.

Now the Prime Minister has waded into the row, telling GB News: ‘Everyone should take their jabs and I’m saying that not in a bullying way but just because I think it’s a great thing to do.’

One celebrity in this year’s Strictly line-up is said to be furious that their partner is unjabbed, with a source telling The Sun the unnamed star was unaware the dancer they’d be getting very up close and personal with hadn’t received the vaccine.

‘They just couldn’t believe that their partner would not have had a jab,’ said the insider.

‘They thought they’d be protected so to discover their partner hasn’t even had a single jab is very worrying.’

‘The couple have already spent tens of hours practicing together. Clearly, there is a lot of anger and a lot of questions to be asked.’

Three Strictly stars are refusing to get the Covid vaccine (Picture: PA)

A Strictly spokesperson told Metro.co.uk: ‘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.’

Many critics have called on the unvaxxed stars to be dropped from the series.

Former Strictly pro James Jordan appeared on Good Morning Britain yesterday and 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.

More: Strictly Come Dancing

‘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.’

Bosses have a number of protocols in place to make sure the cast and crew will be as safe as possible while filming, amid the global pandemic.

Strictly’s executive producer Sarah James explained that new quarantine rules means that contestants may be able to take some time out before returning to the competition.

‘If a celebrity does receive a positive test, it doesn’t necessarily mean they are out of the competition,’ she told Metro.co.uk and other press. ‘It might mean they could miss a week and still get enough training in to return.

Strictly Come Dancing continues on Saturday at 7pm on BBC One.

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