DWTS to get “Covid pass” as second person tests positive ahead of live shows

The show must go on.

Dancing With The Stars is facing another pushback when it comes to the live shows as another person has tested positive for Covid-19. According to EVOKE, the show is set to give a "pass" to performers if they test positive to the virus during this year's show and they will be allowed to continue to compete in the show after their isolation is up. News outlets are reporting that professional dancer Emily Barker is the latest of the crew to be diagnosed with Covid-19, following on from Love Island star Matthew MacNabb testing positive earlier in the week. As Emily is isolating, dance partner and former newsreader Aengus Mac Grianna is said to be restricting his movements as he is now deemed a close contact. RTÉ is yet to confirm how many professional dancers have come down with the virus. A spokesman told EVOKE: "Emily is due to perform on week two of Dancing With The Stars Ireland. Six dancers will perform tomorrow night and six on week two. There will no eliminations until week three." The show is returning to RTÉ tonight for the first time since the pandemic and has put measures in place to ensure it runs smoothly when it comes to Covid. Producers are concerned about the vast spread of the Omicron variant and have agreed that anyone unable to perform due to it will get a "pass" until it is safe for them to come back. An RTÉ spokesman told the Mail on Sunday: "RTÉ and Dancing With The Stars are working to robust health and safety procedures that are under continuous review. Contingencies are in place, and anyone who tests positive must self-isolate following the latest Government guidelines. Should anyone not be able to perform, all being well and adhering to guidelines, they can perform the next week." They also said that if needs be, celebrities will be paired with other professional dancers if they test positive in later episodes. They said: "If a professional dancer is unavailable, the celebrity will be paired with another professional dancer. "However, if a celebrity tests positive, that will be dealt with as and if it happens, as it would be simply unfair to allow someone jump a final hurdle because they test positive or are isolating." Dancing With The Stars returns to RTÉ One tonight at 6.30pm.