Strictly Come Dancing judge Motsi Mabuse will miss Saturday’s show after having close contact with a person who tested positive for Covid-19.
In an Instagram post, Mabuse explained that she was fully vaccinated, which would normally mean exemption from isolation.
However, Mabuse is currently in Germany and cannot travel back due to UK government guidelines, which do not recognize the vaccines she received.
Singer and actress Cynthia Erivo will take her place on the panel.
https://www.cloudschool.org/activities/ahFzfmNsb3Vkc2Nob29sLWFwcHI5CxIEVXNlchiAgID_uYanCAwLEgZDb3Vyc2UYgICAn4T6sAoMCxIIQWN0aXZpdHkYgIDAwKXNrAkMogEQNTcyODg4NTg4Mjc0ODkyOA
https://wakelet.com/wake/YxMv7kngWw5K7rovsiYpn
https://wakelet.com/wake/fcwpM2XjUg3Ki26v71Cxz
https://www.guilded.gg/Till-We-Meet-Again-2021-free/overview/news/2lM0xJLR
https://www.guilded.gg/Till-We-Meet-Again-2021-chinese/overview/news/zy4AkMxR
https://wakelet.com/wake/5E3kYYElrpIXMH4j2J7AH
https://wakelet.com/wake/Eq0otkbH-dJ6LVjjT6z_M
https://wakelet.com/wake/VT-CfPdAKp20UyKig__dw
https://wakelet.com/wake/L0VL4qfBY_PE93A5yCSa1
https://wakelet.com/wake/c6MDQCMgGJxiOEY2clWA0
It will be Erivo’s second week as a judge, after she replaced Craig Revel Horwood last weekend.
Horwood had tested positive for Covid-19 but will return to the panel this weekend, confirmed a Strictly spokesperson.
“Motsi Mabuse will not be appearing on Strictly Come Dancing this weekend,” a representative of the show said on Friday.
“We are delighted that Cynthia Erivo is joining us as a guest judge again, joining Craig Revel Horwood, Anton Du Beke and head judge Shirley Ballas on the panel of judges. We look forward to having Motsi back with us next weekend. “
Other stars who missed episodes of Strictly due to Covid this year include contestants Tom Fletcher and Judi Love.
Writing on Instagram, Mabuse said she was “destroyed” by losing Strictly.
“I was contacted by the NHS Test and Trace as being in close contact with someone on Sunday, November 21, who has since tested positive,” she explained.
“Being double vaccinated and boosted as I am would normally mean exemption from isolation under close contact rules, but unfortunately German EU vaccines are not recognized and neither is my booster in this case, so I must follow UK government guidelines and I can only return after November 30th to the UK.”
The government website claims that the EU Covid Digital Certificate (EUDCC) is not recognized as proof of vaccination for passengers traveling from Germany to the UK.
While the UK recognizes the certificate for passengers traveling from some European countries, for those traveling from Germany the guidelines state: “You cannot currently use your EU DCC to verify your vaccination status via the tracking form of UK passengers.”
He adds that people whose EUDCC was issued in Germany can use it to prove vaccination status in the UK, however it does not apply for travel.
Mabuse said: “Our health is the most important thing and luckily I had several tests this week and I’m negative. I’m healthy, I’m with my family, that’s what matters! dancing. Until then, lots of love and stay safe.”
Christmas alignment revealed
Also this week, the BBC confirmed five of the celebrities who will participate in this year’s Strictly Christmas special. The sixth and final celebrity will be announced this Friday.
Each of the six couples will perform a Christmas-inspired routine.
Singer Anne-Marie is paired with Graziano Di Prima for the festive special.
The nine-time Brit Award nominee and world karate champion, who was also a winning coach on ITV’s singing show The Voice, said she was “excited” to be involved.
“I love the show, and who would refuse a dance with Graziano?” she added.
Broadcaster Moira Stuart, whose dance partner will be Aljaz Skorjanec, has worked for the BBC for 40 years of her five-decade career on TV and radio.
The award-winning journalist, who read the news to Chris Evans’ listeners when he hosted Radio 2’s breakfast show, said: “I’ve loved dancing for as long as I can remember.
“Actually, it even helped me try to stay warm in my first apartment with cold water.”
Announcer, comedian and writer Mel Giedroyc will partner Neil Jones, who said in BBC Two’s It Takes Two that he was excited to be dancing with someone who knew more about the series than he did.
He added Giedroyc, whose TV work includes the BBC’s Children in Need, Channel 4’s Handmade: Britain’s Best Woodworker and seven series of The Great British Bake Off; “I don’t think I’ve been this excited about Christmas since I got my first guinea pig from Santa Claus in 1978.”
Repair shop presenter and furniture restorer Jay Blades, who was made a MBE earlier this year for his services to craft, will dance with Luba Mushtuk.
He told It Takes Two he was keen to be on the show.
“It is probably one of the things I love doing most, which is challenging myself and doing something I have never done before,” he said via video link from Barbados.
The former sausage factory worker added: “I could do a dad dance but I can’t do full dancing. So let’s dive in there and have a go.”
French maitre’d Fred Sirieix will hit the dancefloor dance with Dianne Buswell.
The Channel 4 TV host, who also stars in programmes alongside chefs Gordon Ramsay and Gino D’Acampo, began his career working front of house at Michelin-starred restaurants.
He said: “I got the phone call and I was as excited as I was scared. Because I was so scared I thought I have got to do it.
“There is no way I can turn this down. I have got to do it.”