Strictly Come Dancing head judge Shirley Ballas has said that she is "99% sure" the show will be back as usual this autumn.

The coronavirus pandemic has wreaked havoc with TV productions over the last few months and has cast serious doubt over Strictly, which typically requires close contact between its participants.

The BBC is said to be determined to get the show back on air, however, and producers are considering radical measures such as outdoor performances to enable it to go ahead.

"I have spoken to Strictly's executive producer, and I am 99% sure that we will be on screens in one form or another," Ballas told The Mirror. "When the colder months come, we need some glitz and glamour.

"It's something that the whole family can enjoy. It's imperative that the show goes ahead, so you can bet your trolley they are doing their best to get it on.

"And we are going to have some fantastic NHS stories. There is going to be a reflection on the coronavirus and what people have done for communities. I think it's going to be a real tear-jerker."

Strictly typically begins in late September and runs through until just before Christmas.