UPDATED: “Dancing With the Stars” is coming back to ABC for Season 32.
The move to bring the reality competition series back to the broadcast network comes after the show aired one season exclusively on streamer Disney+. For its upcoming season, the show will air on ABC while also streaming on Disney+. In addition, the show will be available the day after its linear debut on Hulu.
“Welcoming ‘Dancing with the Stars’ back to ABC offers us the unique opportunity to capitalize on the breadth of Disney Entertainment and reach audiences across all our platforms,” said Craig Erwich, president of the Disney Television Group. “Wherever viewers want to watch, we have a home for them to tune in and root for their favorite couple in the ballroom.”
The move to bring the show back to broadcast is not altogether a surprise, particularly given the news that the Writers Guild of America (WGA) officially called for a strike against the major Hollywood studios for the first time in 15 years. With the strike, scripted TV production is likely to be impacted, meaning unscripted fare like “Dancing With the Stars” will become even more important to networks and streamers.
“Season 31 gave us the opportunity to introduce ‘Dancing with the Stars’ to a new generation of fans on Disney+, and we are excited to build on that with our partners at ABC and Hulu,” said Alisa Bowen, president of Disney+. “We’re looking forward to giving our viewers a front-row seat to the dance floor on another great season of the first-ever live series on Disney+.”
As PvNew exclusively reported, Julianne Hough is returning to the show this season as co-host opposite Alfonso Ribeiro. Hough’s return came after Tyra Banks announced her exit from the series. Carrie Ann Inaba, Bruno Tonioli and Derek Hough are set as judges. The series is produced by BBC Studios’ Los Angeles production arm. Tom Bergeron and Erin Andrews were formerly hosts of the show before they were unexpectedly let go ahead of Season 29.
Len Goodman was previously a judge on the show from 2005 through to 2022. Goodman passed away at the age of 78 on April 22.
Vulture first reported the move back to ABC.
