Strictly Come Dancing judge Bruno Tonioli has said he thinks the more talented dancers will have a big advantage in this year’s series, which is to undergo big changes due to the coronavirus pandemic.

It’s already been confirmed that Strictly will be returning to our screens in the autumn, albeit with a few adjustments, namely the fact that it will be a shorter run than usual, while there’s still a question mark over the studio audience.

However, in a new interview with The Sun, Bruno said that while the show may be more stripped-back in 2020, that could be a good thing for the celebrities taking part.

“This year will favour the better dancers because the focus is entirely on them as there won’t be the same level of big ­production and 25 people dancing alongside them,” he said.

Bruno continued: “You can tart up a fake as much as you want but the centre stone has to catch the light and has to be the real thing.

“If you have that quality it will be enhanced even more, so it will be even better for you.

“Plus, the run is much shorter so nobody can complain, ‘Oh, I’m not doing it because it’s long and such hard work. I’m exhausted’.”

This year’s Strictly will be the first without Bruno on the panel, as travel restrictions mean he will stay in the US, where he is also a judge on the American version of the show, Dancing With The Stars.

It was previously teased that Bruno would still be involved in Strictly, though, with the Italian star explaining: “I won’t be part of the main show giving scores as I’m not in the studio. That would be unfair and also it’s a bit naff, as I wouldn’t be able to see the overall picture of the dances. You have to be there to do that.

“So they are sending me a link featuring all the dances which I’ll watch and then give my tips and opinions that will be shown in the results show later on.

“I’ll leave the scores for the three other judges. They know what they’re doing.” 

The BBC also teased that Bruno would be “making his grand return to the show full time towards the end of the series”.

It’s not yet known whether the show will introduce guest judges to fill in for Bruno, as they have in past years when he’s taken a week off, or if the panel will only have three members for the upcoming series.