A huge change is coming to the way Strictly Come Dancing fans cast their vote on the show.
The popular BBC competition returns later this month with a fresh batch of celebrities ready to get their dancing shoes on in a bid to win the Glitterball Trophy.
But when it comes to voting for your favourite celebrity and professional dancer couples, a BBC-wide change will massively affect the show.
The broadcaster is scrapping premium-rate phone voting, with this year’s televised Eurovision Song Contest in Basel being the last example of it for the BBC.
It comes after BT, the company that provided premium phone services for the BBC, announced it would stop the offering in 2025.
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For the latest season, voting will be done online only, with the BBC stating that the majority of votes for the last series were cast online.
To vote, viewers will need to sign up for a BBC account, with ‘clear instructions’ set to be shared during the show to explain how to set up and vote.
A statement on the BBC website says: ‘If you already have a BBC account, you don’t need to do anything.
‘During voting, you’ll be directed to the show’s website where the voting link will be clearly shown.’
The site continued: ‘For years, shows like Strictly Come Dancing, BBC Sports Personality of the Year and Eurovision let viewers vote by calling premium-rate numbers.
‘However, this is now an outdated system and also expensive to run.’
It will mark the first time since the show began back in 2004 that premium voting has not been used in the show.
The news comes after the BBC shut down rumours of another major change coming to the show.
Last month, it was reported by The Sun that bosses were planning for this year’s celebs to switch professional partners for one week only.
‘A switch-up week is a great way to spice up Strictly Come Dancing,’ explained an insider.
‘Fans will be able to vote for which celebrity they want to see dance with their favourite professional dancer.’
However, the Beeb later shut down the whispers, with a spokesperson stating to Metro that the story ‘isn’t true’.
The shake-up would’ve seen the UK version follow in the footsteps of the American and Irish versions, where contestants dance with a different partner for one show only.
The lead-up to the latest season of Strictly has been dogged by controversy, with both Giovanni Pernice and Graziano Di Prima facing allegations of misconduct during their time on the show, and since leaving.
Strictly is now at the centre of another investigation after two stars allegedly abused cocaine.
The Met confirmed they were investigating the allegations, with one of the stars involved also said to be suspected of drinking while on the show, as crew members smelled alcohol on their breath.
Furthermore, a former Strictly star, also unnamed, has been arrested on suspicion of rape.
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