The BBC is said to be hopeful of having live studio audiences back in attendance for this year's edition of Strictly Come Dancing.
Earlier this week it was reported that the ballroom show will run to the full 13 weeks - including the iconic Blackpool week - this autumn after coronavirus saw it trimmed down to just nine weeks last year.
The first few live shows of 2020 had a limited number of audience members in attendance but they were scrapped completely after just a few weeks as London adopted tougher social distancing rules.
Thanks to the vaccine programme, the UK government is hopeful of removing most rules in the second half of 2021, paving the way for Strictly to welcome members of the public back into the studio.
"The rough plans for the series are starting to come together, and that includes getting the show's most important ingredient back in - the audience," a show source told The Sun.
"Producers hope that by the last week of September, when the first live show is pencilled in, COVID restrictions will have been lifted and they'll be able to get as many fans into Elstree as possible.
"There might be some social distancing, but it will give the show a lift, having had just cast and crew present in 2020."
The new series is tentatively due to begin on BBC One on September 25.
Neil Wilkes
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