Seven’s clever idea to getting Dancing with the Stars studio audience

Producers of Dancing with the Stars: All Stars have taken extra steps to accommodate a studio audience for its new season.

Filmed during the height of Sydney’s 2021 lockdown there were strict rules that prevented Seven from welcoming a full studio audience.

Sources confirm a small studio audience was paid to attend. This technically made them ’employees’ and avoid some of the strictest rules.

It’s a method that was used by American productions during the peak of the pandemic.

Eliminations are traditionally a mix of both judges and audience and again this season producers adapted to the challenge before them.

A Seven spokesperson confirmed, “In this season, we have both the studio audience as well as a virtual audience. We have slightly reduced studio audience due to COVID protocols, and a larger virtual audience watching at home, creating a broad sample to ensure fair voting.”

Dancing with the Stars: All Stars returns 7pm Sunday on Seven.