Bikram Yoga studio owner are uniting to form the Bikram Yoga Series World Alliance.

The non-profit alliance aims to unite all studios and teachers who want to continue to teach and promote the Bikram Yoga class.

This is being done with no monetary, contractual or legal relationship with Bikram Choudhury, the class founder, i.e. no franchise fees are paid.

Bikram Choudhury was recently at the centre of a Netflix documentary which investigated how his empire was in tatters following multiple civil suits and allegations of rape and sexual assault.

The new alliance is spearheaded by a group of Bikram Yoga studio owners worldwide. The studios will continue to schedule the Bikram Yoga class, a 90 minute class, consisting of 26 Hatha yoga postures plus two breathing exercises, practiced in 40 degree heat.

A statement read, "We call the class Bikram Yoga because it's our brand, one which is not watered down, one which is instantly recognisable, one which we have spent years building by teaching this class day in day out, year in year out. It is not a man, it's a world-renowned yoga class that people depend upon for their well being, it is a class we have invested in, so people can benefit.

"We will train future teachers to teach this powerful series so that people around the world can experience the transformative power of this unique Bikram Yoga class."