He’s set to appear in 2020’s Strictly Come Dancing line-up, after having to bow out of the 2019 season following a foot injury.
And Jamie Laing appeared to be in good spirits ahead of the show’s return as he stepped out with his girlfriend Sophie Habboo in Notting Hill, London, on Friday.
The reality star, 31, put on a casual display during the outing as he and Habbs, 26, went shopping to pick out some wine.
Outing: Jamie Laing looked relaxed as he enjoyed a shopping trip for wine with girlfriend Sophie Habboo in Notting Hill on Friday ahead of Strictly Come Dancing return
Jamie opted for a relaxed look as he paired a simple grey t-shirt with black trousers and white shoes.
He covered his blonde locks with a black baseball cap, matching Sophie’s look as she shielded her golden locks with a white hat.
Sophie put on a leggy display as she stepped out in a pair of light-wash denim shorts, while she kept warm with a black varsity jacket.
The happy couple put on a cosy display during their stroll as they held hands while making their way down the street.
Smitten: The happy couple put on a cosy display during their stroll as they held hands while making their way down the street
Relaxed: The reality star, 31, put on a casual display during the outing where he and his other half went shopping to pick out some wine
Casual: Jamie opted for a relaxed look as he paired a simple grey t-shirt with black trousers and white shoes
Jamie and Sophie have been together for nearly two years, despite rocky beginnings, and he insisted the infamous Strictly curse won’t come between them.
He said of the curse – which has struck down couples throughout the show’s 16 years on the air, seeing celebs get together with their pro partners, dancers split from their real-life spouses and celebrities’ marriages not survive the course of the show – that he is being asked repeatedly about it.
‘I am being asked all the time about the Strictly curse and do you know poor Sophie had no clue about this whole curse thing,’ Jamie said. ‘She had no idea that everyone couples up when they do Strictly Come Dancing.
‘But, hey listen, I don’t think I am a bad guy so I don’t think it will be too bad in the end.
‘I am not going to kiss my dancer. It is not like I am going to be some magnet, you know? I don’t think the dancer is going to come anywhere near me.’
Legs for days! Sophie put on a leggy display as she stepped out in a pair of light-wash denim shorts, while she kept warm with a black varsity jacket
Matching: Jamie covered his blonde locks with a black baseball cap, matching Sophie’s look as she shielded her golden locks with a white hat
Stylish: Sophie wore her golden locks in a sleek, straight style for their outing
Earlier in the day it was claimed that stars could undergo daily checks for coronavirus after a former crew member tested positive for Covid-19 days before the new series.
A source told The Sun: ‘Nothing is being left to chance after this positive test. A lot of money has been spent on ensuring everyone on the show has access to testing.
‘If required, those taking part could even undergo daily checks to make sure they remain virus free.
‘The key thing for producers is knowing that if a case emerges that they can react to it to make sure it doesn’t become a massive crisis.’
Not worried! Jamie recently insisted that the infamous Strictly curse won’t come between him and his long-term girlfriend
He’s back: Habbs stood by Jamie, 31, last year, when he originally signed up for Strictly Come Dancing, having to pull out when he injured his foot in rehearsals
The source added that the ‘nightmare scenario’ is a case going ‘undetected’ and ‘spreading’ throughout both cast and crew.
The Sun has also claimed that bosses have a list of ‘stand-by’ celebrities for the show in case a star falls ill with relatives likely banned from rehearsals and no live studio audience allowed.
MailOnline contacted Strictly Come Dancing for comment at the time.
Disappointed: Jamie had even been partnered up for Strictly 2019, and had appeared in the opening episode of the series alongside Oti Mabuse
Winner: Soap actor Kelvin Fletcher was drafted in as his replacement – and he ended up winning the series
It’s thought this year’s Strictly will have a shortened run due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and is expected to conclude on 19th December.
Just last week, the final line-up of celebrities taking part in the upcoming series were revealed.
Home Secretary Jacqui Smith, 57, and YouTube star HRVY were confirmed as the final contestants this year’s Strictly Come Dancing.
They joined Jason Bell, Ranvir Singh, Clara Amfo, Caroline Quentin, Jamie, Bill Bailey, JJ Chalmers, Max George, Maisie Smith and Nicola Adams on the line-up.
Precautions: Earlier in the day it was claimed stars could undergo daily checks for coronavirus after a former crew member tested positive for Covid-19 days before the new series (some of the professional dancers pictured)
The reports come after it was claimed the show has been left in crisis as a crew member tested positive for coronavirus.
As a result ‘everyone was told to leave,’ according to a source, who also claimed that the set was given a powerful deep clean as show bosses await the results of a third medical test on the lighting expert.
According to The Sun, the lighting expert spent a week working on the dance contest’s set.
Following his positive test result, at least five staff who were in close contact with him were sent home and told to self-isolate and await tests of their own, according to the report.
Crisis: Earlier this week, the BBC show was said to be in a crisis following the news with ‘everyone told to leave’ and the set given a ‘deep clean’ (Oti Mabuse and Kelvin Fletcher pictured in 2019)
Additionally, a deep clean of the set using powerful electrostatic sprayers, was apparently ordered.
The report also claims that a third test on the worker is anxiously being waited for, after a second medical check on his Covid-19 status came back as ‘inconclusive.’
The publication’s source also claimed that panic spread quickly among the professional dancers who were due to start filming in the studios tomorrow.
The source also insisted that filming in the studio needs to begin this week if the show is going to be able to film the group dances ahead of the series’ scheduled start date, admitting that it’s already ‘a race against time.’.
A source told MailOnline: ‘the crew member is no longer on the production and has had a negative NHS test result.
‘Procedures were followed and stringent protocols have been put in place just in case, but recording isn’t due to happen until later this week so there is minimal impact.’
New rules: The Sun has also claimed that bosses have a list of ‘stand-by’ celebrities for the show in case a star falls ill with relatives likely banned from rehearsals and no live studio audience allowed (Katya Jones pictured in 2019)