Bill Bailey and Caroline Quentin to compete in Strictly Come Dancing

ill Bailey and Caroline Quentin have reportedly signed up for \'Strictly Come Dancing\'.

The 55-year-old comedian and the 60-year-old actress are among the stars who will compete for the glitterball trophy on the upcoming series of the BBC dance show.

A source told The Sun newspaper\'s Bizarre TV column: "The BBC are delighted with the double signing. Caroline is looking forward to the challenge and wants to get properly stuck in."

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This year\'s series of the show has been delayed until October and will have a limited run of nine weeks rather than 12, due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Bill previously revealed he had turned down the show because he thought the judges were too harsh.

He said: "I\'ve been asked a couple of times. I like the idea of the dancing but it is so judgemental, which isn\'t for me.

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"I\'d like to learn to dance without the critique. It\'s pretty harsh and withering."

However, he reportedly changed his mind this year as his live comedy performances have been axed, due to the global health crisis.

An insider explained: "It\'s a hard time for live performers so it seemed a good chance for Bill to commit to the show."

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\'Strictly\' bosses have revealed they are taking steps to protect their staff and contestants, including isolating the dancers together.

A spokesperson previously told MailOnline: "As we continue to follow the latest guidance from Public Health England and industry guidelines, we are considering isolating the dancers and key production members to enable our much-loved group numbers to continue.

"We\'re incredibly proud of our professional dancers for their dedication to the show and their commitment to showcasing their love of dance to the nation.

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"The safety of our cast and crew is of the utmost importance to us and further updates will be made in due course."