The apparent Strictly Come Dancing 'curse' is almost as famous as the show itself – and it looks as though producers may be sick of it.
When this year's line-up was revealed last month, it was found that the majority of contestants are single.
Via Metro, the non-attached stars of the series are ex-England footballers David James and Alex Scott, actor/DJ Dev Griffin, YouTube sensation Saffron Barker, sports presenter Mike Bushell, CBBC presenter Karim Zeroual, Paralympian Will Bayley and EastEnders actress Emma Barton.
Related: Celebrities that have fallen victim to the dreaded "Strictly curse"
Over the years, Strictly has seen a number of professionals and their dance partners get together, leaving a host of tattered real-life relationships in their wake.
So, does the high percentage of 2019 singletons tell us something about the producers' intentions? Are they finally trying to kill off the long-running phenomenon?
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Seann Walsh and Katya Jones' drunken kiss came close to overshadowing the action on the dance floor last year, especially after Seann's long-term girlfriend Rebecca Humphries publicly dumped him.
Viewers were sure bosses tried to make their next dances as conservative as possible – at one point, they even performed a Quickstep with a guitar physically wedged in between them.
Talk of their dalliance seemed to die down after they were voted off. But they've been back in the news in recent weeks, thanks to Katya's split from Strictly pro husband Neil Jones. With the break-up coming just before the start of the new season, it's threatening to make more headlines than the unveiling of the current contestants and their partners.
It's not even like this was an isolated incident. Last year alone, Stacey Dooley and Kevin Clifton and Joe Sugg and Dianne Buswell went public as couples after competing together. At the start of the series, both Stacey and Dianne had boyfriends.
While neither of these relationships proved quite as controversial as Seann and Katya's snog-gate, producers may be worried about Strictly losing its family-friendly reputation. Yes, the show's dancing can be sexy and romantic – but it's not scandalous. However, having contestants snapped in compromising positions arguably is.
Seann and Katya weren't exactly the most popular pair by the end of their run. They found themselves in the dance-off for two weeks running before being eliminated, and their final night was met with joy from many fans.
But bad publicity isn't the only potential issue. Bosses may also be worried about putting other celebrities off taking part.
Several Strictly stars have spoken out about the potential reasons behind the prevalence of the "curse". Rachel Riley – who split from husband Jamie Gilbert after dancing with now-husband Pasha Kovalev in 2013 – told Mail on Sunday's Event magazine last year that the show "serves as a magnifying glass that shows up pre-existing fault lines".
For celebs in newer or rockier relationships – which, let's be honest, aren't all that rare – this could be a huge red flag when considering signing up for the contest.
Then again, there is something to be said for the myth of the "curse" sticking around.
It's been widely reported that Katya's estranged husband Neil may get his first celebrity partner this series after three years as a resident professional. Quite a few fans have been lobbying for this to happen, but would they care as much if it wasn't for Katya's smooch? Perhaps not.
In this respect, the incident may have helped build excitement in the lead-up to the big reveal of the 2019 partnerships.
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Perhaps, like the "curse" itself, we'll never really get to the bottom of whether the signing of single competitors was deliberate.
Whatever the case, we're ready for all the glitter, sequins (and drama) Strictly has to throw at us this series.
Strictly Come Dancing is back on Saturday, September 7, airing at 7.10pm on BBC One.
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