Channel 10 will ‘wrap up Dancing With The Stars one week early’ amid coronavirus pandemic

Viewers blasted Dancing With The Stars on Sunday night after the show’s cast flouted social distancing restrictions amid the coronavirus pandemic. 

Now, reports claim Channel 10 will wrap up the competition a week earlier than scheduled to prevent the spread of COVID-19 among the cast and crew.

The show’s live semi-finals were scheduled to air this Sunday, but it is thought that the finals will also take place on the same night. 

Daily Mail Australia has reached out to Channel 10 for comment. 

It comes after  witter users accused the contestants of having a blasé attitude in the face of a global health crisis during Sunday night’s episode.  

‘@DancingOn10 #DWTSau – I didn’t realise that being a celebrity was an antidote for the coronavirus,’ one person Tweeted. 

‘Where is all the social distancing between the judges, the non-dancing contestants and hosts? You should be leading by example, if we are going to reduce the workload of our ICUs.’

While DWTS is no longer being filmed in front of a live audience, the show’s format forces its celebrity competitors to physically interact with their dance partners. 

Meanwhile, viewers also noticed the show’s judges were seated closer together than the recommended six-foot distance. 

At one stage, hosts Amanda Keller and Grant Denyer joked about social distancing by pulling out a tape measure to inspect the distance between them.

Ironically, Sunday night’s episode was interrupted by an emergency press conference from Prime Minister Scott Morrison.

‘On the weekend, what we saw was a disregard of those social distancing practices,’ Mr Morrison said, referring to the hordes of people seen at Sydney’s Bondi Beach. 

‘This sent a very clear message to premiers, chief ministers and myself that the social distancing practices are not being observed as well as they should be.’ 

However, other fans thought Dancing with the Stars was exactly what people needed in a time of fear and uncertainty. 

‘Please let us have our sanity back; we would like to not think about coronavirus for TWO SECONDS. Just two seconds,’ tweeted one viewer. 

Another added: ‘They better not DARE take #DWTSau from me next week. It’s slim pickins’ for joy round these parts.’   

The show’s producers have taken steps to protect the cast and crew after contestant Christian Wilkins’ coronavirus scare last week.

The 24-year-old was tested for COVID-19 after his father, Weekend Today host Richard Wilkins, tested positive on March 15.

Christian’s test later proved to be negative, but he was forced to self-isolate in a hotel with dance partner Lily Cornish for several days.

All staff members and participants have been told to self-monitor for symptoms.