STRICTLY Come Dancing contestant Dan Walker has said it “could happen to us at any time” after his co-star Tom Fletcher tested positive for Covid-19.

The McFly singer and his professional partner Amy Dowden will be absent from the show on Saturday after they tested positive for the virus one day after the first live show of the series.

Speaking on BBC Breakfast, Dan, who was born in Crawley, said: “Of all the places I’ve been in the last few months, Strictly is the strictest place in terms of following all those regulations.”

He added: “We’ve all accepted that it could happen to any of us at any time.

“We just follow the guidelines, we social distance and wear face coverings where you can, and basically the only time we’re not doing that is when we’re on the telly, isn’t it?”

Dan said he had spoken to Amy at the weekend, adding: “I had a conversation with Amy on Saturday, but she was at one end of the flight of stairs, I was at the other one, you’re actively staying away from each other, that is the way it is.”

Fellow contestant Nina Wadia said: “We do stay in our pairs, because that’s the kind of safest bubble that you have.

The new series of Strictly Come Dancing has been embroiled in controversy over reports that three of the professional dancers are unvaccinated, although there is no suggestion that either Tom or Amy were among this number.

The BBC announced on Sunday afternoon that Tom and Amy had contracted the virus and will be self-isolating.

They said in a statement: “Tom Fletcher and Amy Dowden have tested positive for Covid-19. The pair are now self-isolating separately following the latest Government guidelines.

“While they will both miss Saturday’s live show, Strictly Come Dancing protocols mean that, all being well, they will return the following week.

“Strictly has and will continue to follow government guidelines in order to keep everyone safe.”

The BBC has previously said it is “not the case” that dancers or celebrity contestants have threatened to quit Strictly Come Dancing over the vaccination row, or raised concerns with the BBC or the show’s production team.

A show spokesperson said they could not comment on whether the BBC or the production team knows the vaccination status of the professional dancers.

Have you got a story for us? Email news@theargus.co.uk or contact us here.

Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to keep up with all the latest news.

Sign up to our newsletter to get updates sent straight to your inbox.

You can also call us on 01273 021 400.