Yahoo News Strictly Come Dancing confirms eleventh celebrity contestant
The eleventh contestant on this year's Strictly Come Dancing has been announced as popstar HRVY (Harvey Leigh Cantwell).
HRVY said: “Being on Strictly is going to be such an amazing experience and I’m so thankful to be taking part this year. I think my mum is more excited that she’ll be able to see me every Saturday night now.”
Born in Kent, HRVY first rose to fame after uploading his music videos to Facebook. He signed to Virgin EMI in 2017 and his debut album is out this year. He has previously presented on CBBC's Friday Download.
He's a pop sensation, a TV presenter and now a future #Strictly star! Welcome HRVY to SCD!
👉https://t.co/afDauKyLSc @HRVY pic.twitter.com/DPXtWGN3YK— BBC Strictly ✨ (@bbcstrictly) September 4, 2020
21-year-old HRVY has over a billion combined streams to his name and a social following of over 10 million globally. He has sold out two UK and European tours including headline shows at Hammersmith’s Eventim Apollo and a now postponed London Palladium show, plus shows in Asia, Australia and America. HRVY performed at BBC Radio 1’s Big Weekend in 2019, has shared the stage with Jonas Blue at Capital FM’s Summertime Ball and Jingle Bell Ball.
HRVY joins celebrities including Caroline Quentin, Nicola Adams and Ranvir Singh in this year's series.
In other Strictly news, we know the upcoming season is set to be shorter than we've previously been used to.
"The Strictly Come Dancing team are doing everything they can to bring the nation plenty of Strictly magic later this year," a spokesperson for the show said.
"To ensure we deliver the high standards audiences know and love, and in light of the ongoing considerations around COVID-19, this year’s series of Strictly will have a slightly shorter run than usual.
"The safety of our cast and crew is of the utmost importance to us and further updates will be made in due course," it concluded.
The BBC's Charlotte Moore has said the show would need to "change" this year, and has discussed the possibility of eliminating studio audiences in order to cut down the number of people in proximity with cast and crew.
"The other thing I would say is [people think] if it is shiny floor, it needs an audience, and I don't think that's necessarily true," she said.
"When you look at something like Drag Race, which is a big shiny floor talent competition with all sorts of catwalks, singing, dancing, impressions – it never has an audience.
"The audience is the four judges and I don't think it suffers from that at all. I think it is a brilliant show!"
Moore added that finding a way to have Strictly on screens this autumn remains "one of our big priorities", but added: "I think inevitably things are going to change."
We also know that due to travel restrictions, Bruno Tonioli's role will change this season.
"Vivacious, flamboyant and rambunctious, Bruno Tonioli's infectious energy has delighted Strictly audiences for seventeen series. Whilst circumstances have meant that Bruno is currently in Los Angeles, he's determined to be part of the Strictly series this year," a statement released by Strictly read.
"Bruno will be keeping a close eye on the series throughout the run and will be involved remotely in the Sunday night Results show each week, from across the pond. Plus, Bruno will be making his grand return to the show full time towards the end of the series."
Bruno said of his newly-shaped role: "I absolutely adore being part of Strictly and can't wait to see what incredible dancing this year has in store! Lockdown has resulted in me being in LA for the foreseeable, but I'm excited to be involved as much as I possibly can. There was no cha-cha-chance I'd miss out!"
It's currently unclear whether Strictly will bring in a new judge to keep Bruno's seat warm in the studio. Watch this space for more news.
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