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Strictly Come Dancing schedule change revealed ahead of World Cup 2022-Stella Akinwumi-Entertainment – Metro
The World Cup kicks off next month.
The live shows have been moved to a different day ahead of this year’s World Cup (Picture: PA)
Strictly Come Dancing bosses have been forced to move the live shows around as the World Cup looms.
The FIFA tournament is usually held over the summer, meaning it’s never clashed with Strictly’s September to December schedule.
But due to the extreme temperatures in Qatar, this year’s highly-anticipated event has been moved to November.
Reports claim that for the first time in show history, the live shows will take place on Friday and Sunday nights in December to avoid World Cup clashes.
A BBC spokesperson told Metro.co.uk: ‘Strictly Come Dancing will continue to bring glitter, glamour and glorious dancing to homes across the nation throughout the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
‘The quarter final of Strictly Come Dancing will now air live on Friday 2nd December and the semi-final will now air live on Sunday 11th December on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.’
The Strictly shows will air on Friday and Sunday in December (Picture: PA)
The World Cup tournament commences on November 20 (Picture: Getty)
The World Cup will start on Sunday, November 20 and end on Sunday, December 18, 2022.
The BBC and ITV will be sharing the World Cup coverage once again, and every match will be shown live on TV, with fans also able to watch the action on BBC iPlayer and the ITV Hub.
This year’s tournament has caused endless controversy because it is hosted in a country facing multiple human rights abuse accusations.
The decision to hold the global event in Qatar has been met with intense scrutiny due to the country’s treatment of local workers, and its criminalisation of same-sex marriage.
Sportsman David Beckham was reportedly paid £10m to promote tourism and culture in the region.
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Human rights campaigner Peter Tatchell previously urged David to ‘think again’ before promoting the country, saying: ‘His work for Qatar could cause grave damage to his reputation.’
Following the backlash, Qatar has said ‘everyone is welcome’ at the World Cup, and rainbow flags can be displayed in stadiums.
Strictly Come Dancing returns on Saturday at 7pm on BBC One.
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