We may not be getting anything from The Bachelor franchise on the 2026 TV schedule, but that doesn’t mean we won’t see some of our favorite alumni on our screens. Joey Graziadei, who had an “unprecedented” ending to Season 28 of the dating show, will make his acting debut in a holiday rom-com later this year, and with many familiar faces celebrating the big news, I’d have to agree with the reaction from Graziadei’s bride-to-be Kelsey Anderson.

Roku announced Joey Graziadei will star opposite Jamie Chung in The Holiday Spark this Christmas. According to the movie’s logline, the Dancing with the Stars champ plays Dean, a perpetually single firefighter who enlists the help of a children’s book illustrator (Chung) to plan an epic holiday party for his firehouse. You can’t blame Kelsey Anderson for being fired up about the news, as she commented on his Instagram page:

I’d definitely have to agree with this assessment, but possibly for different reasons. Kelsey Anderson is undoubtedly excited to see doors in the entertainment industry opening for Joey Graziadei — not to mention she gets to see her fiancé dressed up like a firefighter.

Bachelor Nation fans will certainly enjoy seeing the former rose-distributor in uniform as well, but this news also feels like an early Christmas gift for a fandom that’s had a pretty rough year.

Kelsey Anderson wasn’t the only Bachelor veteran to weigh in on Joey Graziadei’s upcoming movie. Other comments included:

• Kathy Swarts: Congrats Joey👏
• Hakeem Moulton: I’m sat!
• Tyler Cameron: Going to crush!
• Tanner Courtad: CANT WAIT 🍿
• Kaity Biggar: So cool!!! Congrats Joey 👏!!!
• Ben Higgins: Bet you made it look easy!
• Zach Shallcross: That’s so awesome!! 🔥 congrats!!

Some fans made humorous comments about Kelsey Anderson having to watch her man kiss other women again — as was the case on The Bachelor — but hopefully she won’t feel as negatively about it as Candace Cameron Bure and Danica McKellar’s husbands.

In addition to those responses, the Dancing with the Stars crew came through with well-wishes for the Season 33 winner's role in The Holiday Spark, writing:

• Ilona Maher: Pumped for you!!
• Alfonso Ribeiro: Congrats brother.
• Stephen Nedoroscik: Woahhh congrats!!
• Daniella Karagach: LFG JOOOEYYYYY

Joey Graziadei seemed as pumped as the rest of us about the upcoming movie, saying in a statement:

There’s something funny about the fact that we watched Joey Graziadei fall in love in real life on The Bachelor, and now we’re going to see him act out a love story (albeit a very different one) on The Holiday Spark. Either way, I’m taking this news as an early Christmas present.

Spoilers ahead for anyone who hasn't yet watched Dancing with the Stars: The Next Pro on ABC or with a Hulu subscription.

To hold you over until Dancing with the Stars debuts on the 2026 TV schedule this fall with Season 35, DWTS: The Next Pro is expanding the hit franchise. Instead of focusing on celebrities whose professional dance partners guide them as they compete to win the coveted Len Goodman Mirrorball Trophy, the new series sets out to find the next pro among 12 up-and-comers. Rest assured, just because there are no celebrity contestants on this Season 35 prequel, there will still be drama. But more on that later.

I must admit, I have a spot in my heart for dance shows. Whether it’s World of Dance, So You Think You Can Dance, Dance Moms, or even Bunheads, I will be tuned in. I’m also down for a good unexpected but amazing movie dance sequence, like with “I’m Just Ken” in the Barbie movie or the Michael Jackson “Thriller” moment in 13 Going on 30.

So, moving six male and six female dancers into a house with bunk beds as they (probably literally) shed blood, sweat, and tears in a grueling audition process, and I have my popcorn ready. Let’s dig into what I learned from watching the first two episodes of DWTS: The Next Pro.

Going To Work With Your Mother Might Lead To Some Spicy Clashes

Yes, the contestants on DWTS: The Next Pro are fierce, but so are the judges. While fans of Dancing with the Stars will be familiar with three-time Mirrorball champion Mark Ballas, he’s being joined at the judges’ table, right in the center seat, by his mother Shirley Ballas, aka “The Queen of Latin.” Mama Ballas is a champion in her own right, an elite teacher, the head judge of Strictly Come Dancing, and she has the type of presence that makes you want to stand up straighter when she enters the room. It also quickly becomes clear that being mother and son won’t prevent clashes from happening when the two disagree.

Shirley Ballas is known for being firm but fair, while her son Mark Ballas has built a bit of a reputation as a rebel who will throw out the rule book when the situation calls for it. That blend of tradition and imagination is perfect for a DWTS pro dancer that’s looking to stand out from the crowd, but for a mother and son who are working side by side on a reality competition series, it’s going to cause some disagreements, and I am here for them all.

Now, the Ballas duo are professionals, so even if things do get spicy, I’m sure they can work it out. In the setup for the season at the start of the first episode, there’s a fun clip with Mark saying, “Do the show with your mom, they said. It will be fun, they said.” But Shirley laughs it off, so I think we’re safe and reassured that no judges were harmed in the making of this reality show. And there will be a different guest judge every week from the lineup of DWTS pros that can jump in to ease the tension if need be.

When Dance Show Contestants Get Vulnerable, I End Up In Tears With Chills

There is only so much airtime in a one-hour TV show, so the focus of DWTS is unsurprisingly primarily on the journeys of the celebrities, through injury and triumph. Season 35 is still a few months away from its debut, but that’s no reason not to start the hype for the celebrity contestants, having already announced Jimmy Kimmel Live’s Guillermo Rodriguez, Savannah Banana’s Jackson Olson, and Summer House and The Traitors star Ciara Miller. The Traitors and Love Island star Maura Higgins is already getting into shape with DWTS pro Val Chmerkovskiy.

DWTS: The Next Pro will have demanding challenges every week, meant to test the hopefuls’ ability to cope with the extreme pressure of the live show as they prove their technical excellence and creativity as choreographers. If you have an off week and fall short on technique, you can put more hours in at the rehearsal studio. But what often trips up the celebrity contestants on DWTS, especially the ones who aren’t actors, is being able to open themselves up emotionally in a very vulnerable way and connect that with the steps.

I was so happy to see DWTS: The Next Pro only waited until Episode 2 to bring on a challenge using dance to tell a meaningful personal story. Admittedly, I got nervous when they paired the contestants and told them to choose a story between them because that could have easily led to disaster for any pairing that didn’t fully connect or listen to each other. And while some performances didn’t live up to the promise of what they could have been, it was beautiful to witness the partnerships that did click. There’s one performance in particular, by Allen Genkin and Adele Zaikman, that was so authentic and raw that it immediately gave me chills because it felt like the dancers had cracked open their souls and poured all of their emotions out onto the dance floor. It left the dancers, their fellow contestants, the host, the judges, and yes, even me, in tears.

Robert Irwin Just Might Be The Most Wholesome Person In Entertainment

Aussie wildlife conservationist Robert Irwin made a splash on Dancing with the Stars Season 34 alongside his pro partner Witney Carson, securing victory together. Throughout his season, he stayed open to learning and absorbing everything and really wore his heart on his sleeve. And that’s really working for him as the host of DWTS: The Next Pro.

Robert Irwin is able to let his smile light up the room, offer words of encouragement, and sit beside you and share a moment of understanding, with all of it feeling completely genuine. There’s a beautiful exchange in Episode 2 when Robert Irwin goes to check in on the contestant who is working out his own grief through dance. If you’ve lost a parent, which I have, you understand the importance of just sitting with someone who knows what those emotions are without having to say anything at all. To be able to be so open and vulnerable about his own experiences with the loss of his father, Steve Irwin, and sharing what it was like for him to walk through his own grief during his time on DWTS was powerful and reassuring. I look forward to seeing what more he has in store as the competition narrows.

Being A Pro On Dancing With The Stars Is Hard Work

Being on Dancing with the Stars is hard work, and not just for the celebrity contestants, many of whom have no dance experience, put in endless hours of rehearsals practicing movements that don’t come naturally to them, and work through often quite painful injuries. It’s also hard work for the pros, no matter how easy they make it look. As someone who took my first dance class at the age of 4, grew up learning a variety of styles, and had a brief professional stint, I know what it takes, and I admire the perseverance. Dancers put everything on the line and are pushed to the extreme, having to roll with whatever happens during a live performance.

I actually really appreciate the fact that things were a bit bumpy for quite a few of the dancers in the first episode because it shows that even dancers who have been champions or have shared the stage with music superstars can still have an off day and can learn and grow. The one thing that I’m most surprised by with DWTS: The Next Pro is that it’s taken 34 seasons of DWTS for this competition series to even happen. I have no idea who is going to be the last dancer standing and win their way onto Season 35 (though we know it won't be the three who have been eliminated, Benji Castro, Jake Monreal, and Briar Nolet), or if that winner will be replacing one of the current DWTS pros. Still, I am here for every second of it, every Monday until they make the final announcement.

To hold fans of Dancing with the Stars over until the series returns to the 2026 TV schedule this fall with Season 35, DWTS: The Next Pro was created to put 12 up-and-comers to the test and pick a winner who will enter the season as the newest pro dancer. With the competition high and the pressure to impress the judges -- three-time Mirrorball champion Mark Ballas and his mother, elite teacher and champion Shirley Ballas -- even higher, you might think that already having a relative on DWTS would give you a leg up. But, per one of the contestants, that might have actually made things even more challenging.

Stephani Sosa, the sister of DWTS pro Ezra Sosa, recently spoke to Us Weekly and discussed some of the finer details regarding her time on The Next Pro. When discussing how her familial connection played into her work, she had this to say:

Sosa's comments are understandable. For 21 years, ABC's Dancing with the Stars has partnered professional dancers with celebrities of varying ages across film, TV, sports, music, and reality programming. Throughout 34 seasons, they’ve shared their personal stories, along with their blood, sweat, and tears, to win the coveted Len Goodman Mirrorball trophy. It's definitely not an experience for the faint of heart, even if you happen to be related to someone who's been through it multiple times.

On that note, things are ramping up for Season 35, having already announced Jimmy Kimmel Live’s Guillermo Rodriguez, Savannah Banana’s Jackson Olson, and Summer House and The Traitors star Ciara Miller. And The Traitors and Love Island star Maura Higgins is getting into shape with DWTS pro Val Chmerkovskiy.

There’s still a long way to go in the DWTS: The Next Pro competition, to see if Stephani Sosa will win the ultimate prize, and there’s a lot on the line for her. The dancer was previously a member of the troupe, which consists of professional dancers who perform in elaborate group numbers. But, while Ezra and his partner -- Jordan Chiles -- were Dancing with the Stars Season 34 finalists, Stephani was dropped from Season 34, leading to heartbreak for both Stephani and Ezra. On how that impacted her coming into the spinoff, Stephani said:

The Next Pro is set up so that each week sees a different DWTS pro guest judge come in, perform for the contestants and give them their next dance challenge. After that, the dancers are responsible for their own choreography and must find ways to make themselves shine, even if they’re working in a pair or group.

In the first week of competition, Stephani Sosa received positive feedback from the judges, including guest judge Derek Hough, which is always a great boost for morale. But, as the dancers continue to prove themselves for just one spot on the hit show, they’re going to have to consistently stand out, week after week. Sosa certainly has a chance of winning it all yet, regardless of who she's related to, she's going to earn it on her own.

We'll have to wait and see who the last dancer standing will be, who their celebrity partner might be, and whether the winner will be replacing one of the current DWTS pros. But know that Dancing with the Stars: The Next Pro airs on Mondays at 8 p.m. Et on ABC, and episodes are also streamable with a Disney+ subscription.

If the reports are true, Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce are currently on their honeymoon! After they tied the knot in a big way at Madison Square Garden on July 3, the couple are ready to celebrate being newlyweds. And if they happen to be heading Down Under, Robert Irwin has a wild idea for them!

Back when we didn’t know where Swift and Kelce would say “I do,” the Dancing With The Stars winner had an idea. Irwin offered up the Australia Zoo as a possible wedding venue – him and his family do own the place, after all. We know that the couple didn’t take him up on the offer, but he’s not backing down. As he told Access:

Robert Irwin may not have ever met Taylor Swift or Travis Kelce to our knowledge, but you got to love his commitment to the bit. He clearly loves to hype up his second home of the Australia Zoo, which apparently hosts weddings all the time. As Irwin said before, you can even say “I do” next to stunning views of rhinos and giraffes. At the time, he suggested the celebrities “Hit me up. I got you” if they were interested in the venue. What hospitality! As he added in a new interview:

I mean, I know I would take him up on this – it sounds like a dream honeymoon accommodation! The Crocodile Hunter Lodge is a rather exclusive place to go. Its multi-bedroom cabins cost in the neighborhood of $1.5k (US dollars) per night. An opulent place to stay plus all the views of majestic animals? I’m all in on Irwin’s pitch!

But, what’s the latest on Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s alleged honeymoon? Daily Mail spotted the pair emerging from a plane in Palm Beach, Florida over the weekend. This comes after the pair jetted off to Montana right after their wedding. Then they went off to attendNFL star JuJu Smith-Schuster’s wedding in Orange County, California on July 11 before taking flight to Florida. We’d be very surprised if Swift and Kelce’s last stop on the honeymoon was in Palm Beach, but we don’t know much about their itinerary. And hey, who can blame these two for wanting a little privacy on their honeymoon?

The couple just successfully pulled off a huge wedding at New York City’s MSG, which was reportedly often called “intimate” by its many guests. Swift and Kelce allegedly welcomed around 1,000 guests to the ceremony that Adam Sandler officiated. We’ll have to wait and find out where the pair decided to enjoy their post-wedding holiday.

Meanwhile, Robert Irwin is the host of a new Dancing With The Stars competition series called The Next Pro. The premiere came out this week, and new episodes are on ABC and Hulu every Monday until August 31.

Both on and off the small screen, John Stamos has had one foot in the world of music, and one in acting. (His relationship with the Beach Boys is still going strong.) He can sing, play instruments, and has shown off his dance skills a time or two. I mean, he’s even danced and sang on ABC for Disney’s The Little Mermaid Live. But will he ever show those talents off on Dancing with the Stars? Don’t hold your breath.

One might think Stamos would be inspired to join the reality competition due to several of his former Full House and Fuller House co-stars having competed. (As well as other fan-favorite TGIF actors.) But when the Scream Queens vet appeared on an episode of Bobby Bones’ The BobbyCast (which can be listened to in full on Spotify), the subject of DWTS came up, and Stamos made it quite clear that it’s not his destiny.

When asked how often the producers have called to pitch him on appearing, Stamos said it’s a constant thing. In his words:

When Bones pointed out that the actor's kids would probably be impressed with him if he vied for the Mirrorball trophy, Stamos joked that he already does enough for them.

As far as why he's so dead-set against tearing up the Dancing with the Stars stage, it sounds like he's skittish about setting himself up for a potential injury. (Which Full House's Jodie Sweetin has some unfortunate experience with.) He explained:

Stamos was very dismissive at even the thought of going out and risking the good health of his tootsie-wootsies. Which I can certainly understand being a concern for any entertainer who's expected to be on their feet at any given moment. Perhaps if he had any personal stake in proving to the world that he couild do it, it might happen, but such stakes have not yet surfaced within him.

With the topic still fixed on DWTS, Bobby Bones came very close to blowing his guest's brain wide open with the reveal that he'd not only competed (for Season 27), but that he also won out. Which then took another amusing turn as Stamos connected the dots to grasp that was the same season where his Fuller House co-star Juan Pablo Di Pace was part of arguably the most controversial elimination in DWTS’ history, to the point where rules were changed to avoid similarly baffling outcomes in the future.

Once that realization set in, Stamos loudly chastised Bones for surviving until the end despite all the perfect scores Di Pace and pro Cheryl Burke earned. He went off with:

Stamos brought up the fact that some of the Netflix show's stars went to the episode tapings to support Di Pace, but he was never part of that squad. It would appear simply walking into the soundstage would cause him unending harm.

The actor and his pro partner were eliminated ahead of the final four during that season. Previously, Candace Cameron Bure competed in Season 18 in 2014, coming in 3rd place, while Jodie Sweetin cut a few rugs back in 2016 for Season 22, coming in 6th place.

Dancing with the Stars: The Next Pro is set to debut on ABC on July 13. I wouldn't expect to see anyone on there that even looks like John Stamos.

When it comes to Dancing with the Stars, it's hard to predict what the dynamics will be like between paired up competitors. On the one hand celebrities who compete on the show can have excellent rapport with the pros their matched up with but, unfortunately, some stars don't have the most positive experiences. For Jana Kramer, her stint on DWTS wasn't particularly great, as she recently recalled. Not only that, but she also attributed that less-than-positive time in her life to pro Gleb Savchenko.

The One Tree Hill alum competed on Season 23 of DWTS in 2013 and was partnered with Savchenko. For context, that was Savchenko’s first season as a regular pro since initially serving as a professional dancer in Season 16. Ultimately, the pair came in fourth place but, ahead of making the finals, Kramer apparently almost quit. While speaking on her Whine Down podcast with fellow DWTS vet and Mirrorball champion Hannah Brown, Kramer recalled a particular moment that nearly caused her to reach a breaking point:

In hindsight, it's very interesting to hear that Kramer nearly quit DWTS because Savchenko was being too hard on her. On screen, the two seemed to have a lot of chemistry, and their success in the competition spoke for itself.

However, it’s not so surprising that the work got really tough, because Dancing with the Stars is generally intense. Everyone is has to put in a lot of work and rehearse almost 24/7. In short, during a given day, competitors eat, sleep, dance and then repeat that process the next day. Even though Kramer wanted to be done with the show, she could also understand where her partner was coming from, as she explained:

Many DWTS alums have discussed just how challenging the show can be. Boy Meets World star Danielle Fishel had the bruises to prove it when she competed last season. So Kramer's comments do track with what's been said about the experience. While her time on the long-running competition show may not have been all that fun, it sounds like she doesn't hold any true ill will towards Savchenko or the show as a whole. With that, I wonder if she'd ever consider competing again.

As for DWTS as a whole, the series is set to return to the 2026 TV schedule this fall, at which point it will notch its 35th season. So far, a few celebrity contestants have already been announced, and the latest celebrity roster even includes popular Jimmy Kimmel Live! star Guillermo. The pros have not been revealed, so right now, it’s unclear who will be bringing their all to the ballroom and possibly pushing a beloved celebrity to their breaking point. The full cast will likely be announced later this summer.

I definitely don't expect to see Jana Kramer on that roster, but I'd definitely love to see her back on the show at some point. I'd imagine she'd be even sharper this time around, given she'd know what to expect from the competition. For now, though, fans can wait for the next season of Dancing with the Stars to premiere and prepare themselves by streaming recent seasons with a Disney+ subscription.

I was overjoyed when I learned that Jimmy Kimmel Live’s Guillermo Rodriguez would be dancing around the ballroom when Dancing with the Stars returns on the 2026 TV schedule. However, what made it even better was how hyped the pros were about this announcement. They were so excited, in fact, that a few of them are already trying to call dibs on Jimmy Kimmel’s beloved sidekick.

So far, the Season 35 DWTS cast will include Maura Higgins, who really wants to be partnered with her co-star from The Traitors, Mark Ballas, Summer House’s Ciara Miller and the Savannah Bananas’ Jackson Olson. Now, Guillermo has joined the mix, and when the show announced his casting on Instagram, a few of the pros were in the comments and making it clear that they want to dance with him:

• Pasha Pashkov: Can you pleeaaasseee be my partner Guillermo?!?🙏😭
• Ezra Sosa: I call dibs 😙👍

Now, in the past, there has been a same-sex partnership on DWTS, as Jojo Siwa and Jenna Johnson danced together during Season 30. Plus, Derek Hough and Mark Ballas went viral for doing an Argentine Tango together on the show back in Season 33. So, it’s not impossible for a pairing made up of a male star and a pro.

However, it does feel unlikely. Plus, there’s one long-time pro who feels like a shoo-in for this, and she also commented on the post. I’m, of course, talking about Emma Slater, who famously had quite the run with Andy Richter last season. Over in the comments on Guillermo’s casting announcement, she wrote:

Emma Slater certainly does know the power of being partnered with a funny man. She and Richter’s hilarious videos went viral week after week, and people were utterly charmed by their dances. While they weren’t the leaders on the scoreboard, they certainly won over America’s hearts, as Conan O’Brien’s longtime sidekick ended up placing seventh in Season 34.

So, yeah, I think Emma Slater would be the perfect partner for the beloved member of Jimmy Kimmel’s crew. I can already picture their fun dances and hilarious TikToks.

However, I’m getting ahead of myself. We will most likely find out who Guillermo Rodriguez is partnered with when the rest of the cast is revealed much closer to Dancing with the Stars’ premiere date.

Now, along with the pros who were making their cases in the comments to be paired with Guillermo, many others showed their excitement too. This included Daniella Karagach and Brandon Armstrong, as well as DWTS co-host Julianne Hough:

• Brandon Armstrong: I’m a fangirl 🤷🏽‍♂️
• Daniella Karagach: OH MY GOD🙌🙌🙌🙌
• Julianne Hough: Can’t WAIT to have you on the show Guillermo 🔥🔥🔥

Based on the moves Guillermo showed off when his casting was revealed on Jimmy Kimmel Live, as well as his hilarious history with that talk show, I think all this excitement is very warranted. He’s bound to be a hoot on DWTS, and I cannot wait to see him “set the world of dance on fire.”

Look at those moves! He’s so ready for this, and I love how excited Jimmy Kimmel is about it too.

Clearly, the pros are also thrilled about this development, which only makes his casting even better. Now, to see who Guillermo gets partnered with and how he performs on Dancing with the Stars, you’ll be able to watch the show this fall either on ABC or with a Disney+ subscription.

The hype surrounding Dancing With the Stars Season 35 is growing as its arrival on the 2026 TV schedule gets closer, at least theoretically. A date has not been revealed yet, but it is confirmed to be airing this fall on ABC, with celebrity contestants already being announced, and with a new pro on the way. The Disney-owned network will be airing DWTS: The Next Pro in July, but that new series likely isn't enough to prepare for the insanity, at least according to a Ezar Sosa.

For the first time ever, DWTS is recruiting a new pro via reality comeptition, and The Next Pro will be hosted by Season 34 Mirrorball champ Robert Irwin, with judging from Mark and Shirley Ballas. Fans can expect an intense training and audition process from the 12 hopefuls vying for a single DWTS spot, but that’s only the beginning. While being on the long-runing series is definitely a dream for dancers, it can also be grueling. Sosa, a Season 34 finalist, told Parade just how crazy being a pro truly is, no matter the preparation, saying:

DWTS has had a variety of celebrities grace the ballroom over its 34-season run, and you never know who could be next, or who they will be paired with. A lot of pros start on the troupe, and while that does get them somewhat prepared, especially when they have to step in for a pro, you can’t really truly prepare for what’s to come until you get assigned your celebrity partner. Then it depends on their skill level, how much they really want the mirrorball, and how much they’re willing to work. A reality show to find the next pro can’t exactly prep you for that.

It’s not surprising that Sosa, who became a pro with Season 33, was pretty disappointed with the hand he was dealt with his first partner. They were one of the first couples eliminated, but he managed to make it all the way to the finals last season with Jordan Chiles. So it really just depends on who your celebrity partner is.

That doesn’t mean that you can’t prepare to be a pro, because all of that rehearsing does help. It does sound like the wide variety of celebrity contestants does not help, though, and unfortunately, the pros usually don’t know who they’re paired with until later in the summer. It’s possible some of them start rehearsing long before then to get into shape and back into the groove of things, and the fact that a lot of that can be undone depending on who they’re paired with is pretty insane.

DWTS: The Next Pro will be entertaining to watch, but whoever wins will definitely be in for an even more intense ride. The new series premieres on July 13 on ABC, with Season 35 premiering this fall. Fans can catch up on DWTS with recent seasons streaming with a Disney+ subscription.

Dancing With the Stars' Season 35 debut may still be few months away, but it’s never too early to start rehearsing. (The celebs, not viewers.) The upcoming season already has a few celebrity contestants revealed to be competing in the ballroom later in the 2026 TV schedule, including Traitors and Love Island star Maura Higgins. She is preparing early, and longtime pro Val Chmerkovskiy is the pro already whipping her into shape.

It was previously announced that Higgins would be competing on Season 35 of DWTS, fresh off of The Traitors Season 4, where she was the runner-up to Rob Rausch. Higgins expressed interest in wantingTraitors co-star Mark Ballas as her pro partner, especially given his return to the ballroom last year, but it seems like another pro is filling that slot, at least in the video Higgins shared of herself dancing with Chmerkovskiy. They definitely looked pretty great together, as seen below:

As much fun as it would be to see Ballas and Higgins reunite in the ballroom after their time on The Traitors, just seeing her dance with Chmerkovskiy has me thinking about the potential. However, it hasn’t been confirmed that Chmerkovskiy will be returning to DWTS, and while there hasn’t been any indication he’s leaving the long-running dance competition series, a pro’s return is never guaranteed. Robert Irwin’s new reality show, DWTS: The Next Pro, doesn’t exactly make it better.

Regardless of who Higgins’ partner is, it’s definitely clear that she is going to be a contestant that fans will want to keep an eye on. The full cast for DWTS Season 35, both celebrities and pros, won’t be announced until the fall, likely September, but that doesn’t mean the rehearsals can’t already begin. I’m definitely getting excited for this new season, and it’s clear that Higgins is as well.

Meanwhile, joining Higgins in the ballroom for Season 35 so far includes Summer House and The Traitors star Ciara Miller and Savannah Bananas’ Jackson Olson. It’s unknown if more contestants will be revealed before the full cast is unveiled, but you never know what could happen. If anything, Higgins isn’t taking any chances and is willing to start rehearsing, even if just for fun, early to secure the Mirrorball.

As for who else could be joining DWTS, the theories and dream casting began a while ago, with both fans and pros throwing names out. Olympic figure skater Alyssa Liu previously shared she has no interest in doing DWTS right now unlike some of her fellow Olympians, while Ballas and other DWTS pros have put a lot of effort in getting The Traitors winner Rob Rausch to come aboard. More and more Traitors stars are doing DWTS, and even though there are already two competing in Season 35, a third one couldn’t hurt.

Fans may just have to wait and see, come fall, who all will be competing and what the pairings will be like. For now, recent seasons of DWTS can be streamed with a Disney+ subscription.

We're getting more Dancing With The Stars than usual on the 2026 TV schedule, with DWTS: The Next Pro set to make a summer debut on ABC. While it's exciting to see Robert Irwin, Mark Ballas, and many others crown a new pro for the series, I can't help but wonder if it will ultimately lead to the end of one pro's tenure on the dance competition. Specifically, I'm curious if Jan Ravnik will be back after this. So, Swifties, you might care about this.

Ravnik, as Swifties may remember, was an Eras Tour dancer who landed a spot as a pro on Dancing With the Stars one season ago. Now, with the spinoff's grand prize offering up a guaranteed pro spot on Season 35, I'm thinking Ravnik may be a one-and-done pro as the series quietly ends his run.

Will Jan Ravnik Be Left Out Of Dancing With The Stars' Next Season?

Dancing With The Stars only has so many guaranteed slots in a season for pro dancers, so it's not uncommon for a pro or two to get left out of the fold for a season. Unless the series adds more contestants than last season, DWTS: The Next Pro guarantees that at least one pro who competed last season will not return to the ballroom.

With his partner Jen Affleck, Jan Ravnik managed to make it to Week 7 before elimination, making them the sixth couple eliminated from the series. It wasn't an incredibly impressive showing for the rookie, who also faced criticism from one of DWTS' biggest alumni. So, when it comes to who will compete next season, I worry he could be left out.

Jan Ravnik's Controversy With Dancing With The Stars, Explained

Ravnik was in the crosshairs of former Dancing With The Stars pro Maksim Chmerkovskiy, who criticized him for his lack of former ballroom training. This led to a passionate debate online about the Eras Tour dancer and his place as a pro on DWTS.

Despite that, Affleck defended Ravnik from all haters on social media, and while he was eliminated, he remained part of the team hosting livestreams on TikTok during the show. Perhaps he could return to do that in Dancing With The Stars Season 35, as the official account recently dubbed him the "TikTok Live King."

This is all speculation, which is to say there's also a chance that Jan Ravnik returns for Dancing With The Stars Season 35, and it's another pro dancer that is left out of the mix. I mean, Mark Ballas only competes every once in a while, so maybe he won't be back. Plus, with pros taking on other opportunities or dealing with things in their personal lives, there's always a chance that at least one of them could bow out before the teams are even announced. We'll just have to wait and see.

Dancing With The Stars: The Next Pro is coming to ABC, and it will be available with a Disney+ subscription beginning July 13th. I'll be watching to see who our new pro will be and for any hints about who they may replace ahead of Season 35.

Well, it's official, Joey Graziadei and Kelsey Anderson are engaged...again. The pair, who got together during Season 28 of The Bachelor and have been together ever since, just announced that they've decided to tie the knot (even though they also did that at the end of Joey's season in 2024). However, now they've made the choice in their own time and on their own terms. So, naturally, Bachelor Nation (and the Dancing with the Stars fam) are celebrating the happy couple.

Ever since Joey's season ended, he and Kelsey have been Bachelor couple goals, seeing as they're one of the pairs from the show who are still together. Now, they've reaffirmed their commitment to each other, as they noted in a joint Instagram post:

Well, this is the sweetest thing ever. In the post, Graziadei explained that doing this again meant they were taking their first proposal and making it something "fully [their] own."

This comes a little over two years after we watched Kelsey and Joey get engaged on ABC or with a Hulu subscription. Over the years, they've stayed a favorite among Bachelor Nation, and that became abundantly clear after taking one look at the comments section on their post. Here are some of the wonderful messages left by those who have worked in the Bachelor franchise:

• SCREAMING CRYING THROWING UP 🥹💍😭🌹 congrats you two!!!! -Bachelor Nation
• So so cute!! I love the green in that ring! -Ashley Iaconetti
• Awww congrats you guys!! -Serena Pitt
• Wait love this so much! Congrats guys! -Blake Horstmann
• Congrats again!! My favorite rom com 🥹🥹🖤 -Andrew Spencer
• I feel so lucky I got to see this from day 1 🥹🥹 -Lexi Young
• Pure -Zac Clark

However, Bachelor Nation wasn't the only group of reality stars congratulating the couple. Among the comments were also a handful of Dancing with the Stars regulars. This included Graziadei's partner Jenna Johnson, and more. Take a look:

• Sobbingggg!!! Sooo happy for you two 💞 -Jenna Johnson
• Congrats!! -Alan Bersten
• Yayyyyy love your love ❤️ -Julianne Hough
• Crying. Screaming. Love our 4th Maher sister!! -House of Maher
• Congratulations!!!!! -Pasha Pashkov

Remember, Joey won Season 33 of Dancing with the Stars (which you can stream with a Disney+ subscription) with Jenna Johnson. He then went on to host the Dancing with the Stars Podcast, which started during Season 34. So, seeing Jenna, more pros like Alan Bersten and Pasha Pashkov, and co-host Julianne Hough commenting is the sweetest thing. Really, it feels very fitting that his DWTS fam would show some love toward him and Kelsey alongside Bachelor Nation.

All around, this is such a sweet and joyful occasion for the beloved couple. Honestly, my heart is so happy knowing they got to have this lovely private engagement. I have to imagine going through The Bachelor is a fast and unique experience, and getting engaged at the end can feel like a lot. So, the fact that Joey and Kelsey took a few years to be a couple, and then got engaged again on their own time, is very thoughtful and sweet.

Now, when will the wedding bells ring? That's unclear. However, it is clear that these Bachelor stars (still) "cannot wait" to call each other husband and wife.

Dancing with the Stars is certainly known for recruiting a myriad of public figures from different disciplines to join seasons. Among those typically chosen to take part in the competition for the Mirrorball Trophy are athletes. However, I wasn't expecting to hear that a member of the Savannah Bananas would be in the ballroom when DWTS returns for its 35th season amid the 2026 TV schedule. And the star in question is baseball player and influencer Jackson Olson!

This confirmation comes after it recent rumors saying that the Olson might be joining the show, and the news was met with a lot of excitement. Check out the announcement:

The confirmation comes days after a video post from Olson on Instagram. In the clip, there's a caption that poses the question of when Olson will finally "share the secret" he's been keeping. As can be seen in the post below, the media personality simply dances in response to that query:

I never would've thought about someone from the Banana Ball Championship League competing on Dancing with the Stars, but it makes total sense. The Savannah Bananas and other Banana Ball teams are a hot commodity in the world of sports right now, with games selling out nationwide.

Not only that, but the league has a deal where those with a Disney+ subscription can watch select Banana Ball games during its season. Having Olson on DWTS could create some real brand synergy, which the long-running competition show (and the House of Mouse as a whole) seems to like doing. To that point, stars from The Bachelor and Disney Channel have also competed on the program over the years.

Jackson Olson's latest Instagram post may not have raised many eyebrows about his DWTS involvement, especially considering that Savannah Bananas players are known for dancing on the field. What made it more suspicious, however, was a recent comment from judge Derek Hough, who reacted to this caption from the player on Instagram weeks ago:

Hough replied with the eyeballs emoji, which felt suspicious, considering Olson also used it while discussing the "couple of ways" his life may change. Was the intention to put people on the trail of DWTS? It's uncertain whether it was or not, but people seemed to think that's on the table. And it turns out, it was.

Only a few other celebrities are officially confirmed for Dancing with the Stars Season 35 right now. Reality star Maura Higgins is one of them, after (literally) securing a bag after Rob Rausch fooled her on The Traitors.

DWTS will also welcome Ciara Miller, known for her role on Summer House and for her appearance on The Traitors. Also, there are rumblings of Olympic athletes being thrown into the mix, especially since pro Rylee Arnold collaborated with figure skaters during the winter games. However, gold medalist Alyssa Liu doesn't seem interested in competing at this time, but who knows if she might change her mind!

Fans can also look forward to a spinoff this summer, which will award one professional dancer the chance to be a DWTS pro on the upcoming season. There are fun times ahead for those looking forward to the ABC series, and I'm so excited that it will include a Savannah Banana busting a move in the ballroom instead of the baseball field.

Dancing with the Stars will return to ABC and Disney+ during Fall 2026 (and will be taking High Potential's time slot, no less). I'm eager to learn the full cast as well as which pros are going to be featured in this upcoming season!

Usually when a TV network unveils its Fall TV lineup, I can find reasons to celebrate, even if I’m not extremely invested in all the slotted-out shows. But ABC’s plan for the 2026 TV schedule has left me as gutted as an Upfronts-related schedule can possibly gut anyone. Because High Potential is missing! Dun-dun-dunnnn!!

ABC only recently finished confirming its on-the-bubble drama and comedy renewals, giving Scott Speedman’s RJ Decker a second season a few days prior to the Upfronts. But High Potential was renewed for Season 3 back in March, so there were some expectations about when we might see the aftermath of that shocking Season 2 finale that left Cpt. Wagner bleeding out on Morgan’s lap. Namely, that it’d be in the fall along with most of the other broadcast premieres.

But no, this is what the network showed off for Fall 2026. If you’ll notice, High Potential’s Tuesday-night time slot has been filled by Dancing with the Stars, of all the shows. And I bet Kaitlin Olson won’t even be involved. (Not that anyone would expect her to be, but I’m bothered, dangit!)

I get that there are only so many hours of primetime to get through, and that having a partnership with the NFL sucks up three of those weekly hours. But flipping Shark Tank to Wednesdays feels strange, and doesn't it seem like Dancing with the Stars' next season can just hold off until the NFL's season has wrapped? I guess it's been a while since the competition series utilized a midseason start, but stillll. If High Potential has to be gone, I'd rather have something similar in its place, not an entirely different concept.

When Will High Potential Season 3 Premiere, And Why Was It Delayed?

Perhaps unsurprisingly, fully concrete answers to either of those questions are unavailable. However, ABC did confirm in its Fall TV press release that High Potential is one of many shows (including the recently ordered spinoff The Rookie: North) that will be debuting new seasons in 2027. My hopeful assumption is that Morgan's LAPD cases will resume progress on whatever the first applicable date will be, but it's technically possible that the start date could come as late as April or May of next year.

As far as the reasoning goes, that's also unknown. But if I were a betting man, and if I actually had more than just dust-filled wishes to bet, I'd wager that it's to give the new showrunners Nora and Lilla Zuckerman more time to settle in and make sure they're spearheading things in the best direction possible. Prior showrunner Todd Harthan stepped down from that position early in 2026 as Season 2 was airing, so that he could help shepard the live-action Eragon series for Disney+.

The Zuckerman siblings were only announced as the new show bosses a week before the Upfronts, so it's very possible that everyone involved decided it bet to hold off on producing new episodes for that reason.

Another possible option? Kaitlin Olson's burgeoning career. She's been trading time between High Potential and seasons of It's Always Sunny (not to mention Hacks), and isn't slowing down. So perhaps spending a few more months away from High Potential is meant to open her schedule up for another role or two.

Whether it's all of the above reasons, or none of them, I'm still not very pleased that we'll be going at least another 7 or 8 months without a follow-up on Lucia behind bars, or on whether or not Wagner's dad was aware of what would happen to his son.

For now, the first two seasons of High Potential can be streamed via Hulu subscription or Disney+ subscription.

Dancing With The Stars is returning to the 2026 TV schedule in a big way, with Season 35 bringing a trending reality star to the ballroom. Love Island UK's Maura Higgins debuted in front of an American audience on the latest season of The Traitors, so it's only fitting she'd want former co-star Mark Ballas as her pro for the season.

Ballas was the first DWTS pro to appear on The Traitors, and Higgins' first choice as her pro when Season 35 kicks off in the Fall. Bustle learned as much when talking to her about her casting, as one of the first celebrities announced:

Mark would be perfect, as he was duped along with the rest of The Traitors cast after Rob Rausch successfully won the game as a Traitor from the very start. Maura was right next to him at the end, and successfully managed to guilt him into buying her an expensive Birkin bag after lying to her so many times.

While I can't remember any standout moments between Mark Ballas and Maura Higgins on The Traitors, the latter confirmed they had a close relationship during the game. Maybe not as close as Johnny Weir and Tara Lipinski were, but listening to Higgins, they weren't that far off:

Maura was notable on The Traitors for making it all the way to the final, despite never having seen a single episode of the series. Of course, the only people who often do that in the Peacock series are either people who are really good at manipulation, or have no clue what's going on, and I'll just leave the reader to draw their own conclusions as to which category I think she fell in.

When asked if having Mark Ballas as a partner on Dancing With The Stars would give her an advantage over other competitors, Maura Higgins didn't think so. She said she'll still have to figure out how to do the hardest part of the show, learn how to dance:

Higgins shouldn't sweat that part of the competition too much, as Andy Richter proved last season, dancing is secondary to being liked by the audience. Being popular can go a long way on Dancing With The Stars, though there does come a point where even the popular stars have to get some good scores to survive.

As far as partners go, however, Mark Ballas is a great choice. He's won DWTS three times and been in the finals many other times. His last win was in Season 31, in which he and partner Charli D'Amelio practically waltzed home with the trophy all season. We'll see who Maura Higgins ultimately ends up with, but I have a feeling she's going to get Mark.

Catch Higgins and Ciara Miller on Season 35 of Dancing With The Stars when it premieres on ABC and Disney+ in the fall. I can't wait to see what other celebrities are announced, and which pros get paired with them.

Things have been pretty tumultuous for Taylor Frankie Paul lately, with ABC pulling her season of The Bachelorette from the 2026 TV schedule after a viral video showed some of the events that led to her 2023 arrest. Paul’s other reality show, The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives, was also affected when production of Season 5 was halted due to new claims of domestic violence between her and baby daddy Dakota Mortensen. Now, rumors suggest a third series under the Disney umbrella is being roped in.

Even as Taylor Frankie Paul learned she won’t be charged with domestic violence, Dancing with the Stars may still be scrambling, if a rumor submitted to the anonymous gossip site DeuxMoi is to be believed. The MomTok leader was allegedly going to appear on the upcoming Season 35. The message, shared by DeuxMoi’s Instagram reads:

There’s a lot to break down there, starting with the fact that Dancing with the Stars had allegedly planned on casting Taylor Frankie Paul for next season. This is totally believable, given DWTS’ history of featuring The Bachelor franchise leads, as well as two of TFP’s fellow The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives stars — Whitney Leavitt and Jen Affleck — appearing on Season 34.

According to the source, Tayshia Adams is being eyed to replace her, which seems like an interesting choice. Adams recently returned to the franchise for the first time in five years — attending The Bachelorette reunion ahead of Taylor Frankie Paul’s doomed season and serving as a judge on HGTV’s Bachelor Mansion Takeover.

She originally appeared on Colton Underwood’s season of The Bachelor in 2020, replaced Clare Crawley as the lead of The Bachelorette Season 16, and then co-hosted Seasons 17 and 18 with Kaitlyn Bristowe. We’ll have to see if she will, indeed, hit the dance floor.

As those details allegedly get worked out, the gossip item suggests Love Island stars and The Traitors favorites Rob Rausch and Maura Higgins will be announced as two of the celebs going on DWTS. That’s definitely possible, since we already know Mark Ballas has been working to get the snake-wrangler to join the show, and I can’t wait to see if he’d end up partnered with Emma Slater after her A+ reaction to his NSFW audiobook.

It’s wild to think that the Taylor Frankie Paul brouhaha has affected not just The Bachelor franchise, but The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives and possibly Dancing with the Stars as well. You can check out all the drama that led up to Paul leaving to film The Bachelorette on Season 4 of Mormon Wives, which is streaming with a Hulu subscription.

Dancing with the Stars has been known to feature its fair share of romances and showmances, but we don’t always get as much tea as we have from Season 33 couple Brooks Nader and her former pro partner Gleb Savchenko. After Nader accused the dancer of cheating on her, he shared some pretty explicit claims of his own about why the relationship didn’t last.

Things moved quickly for Brooks Nader and Gleb Savchenko on Dancing with the Stars, with Nader admitting they started sleeping together on “day one.” The relationship ended dramatically less than a year later after the model/influencer accused the dancer of cheating, but Savchenko had his own version of events when it came to the relationship’s downfall. On the YouTube show Unwell Winter Games, he opened up to Dakota Mortensen about Nader, saying:

Gleb Savchenko and the baby daddy of Secret Lives of Mormon Wives star Taylor Frankie Paul were commiserating over their failed relationships and “bad guy” reputations when the DWTS pro accused Brooks Nader of chipping his tooth during one of their trysts. He said:

The couple dated for about seven months, meeting in September 2024 after being paired on DWTS Season 33. They broke up briefly after their elimination in October but confirmed they were back together just weeks later.

The relationship ended for good in April 2025, when the premiere of Brooks Nader’s reality show, Love Thy Nader, showed her going through Gleb Savchenko’s phone and apparently finding proof that he’d cheated. The dancer has refuted those claims from the beginning, explaining on Winter Games:

During the two-episode premiere of Love Thy Nader, Brooks and her three sisters decided to go through the DWTS pro’s phone after he accidentally left it in New York City. She claimed she found “like, a million girls,” including a contact who appeared to have had a threesome with her boyfriend in Joshua Tree not long before.

Whatever the reason for the fizzled relationship, the two have since gone their separate ways. Gleb Savchenko didn’t return to Dancing with the Stars for Season 34 but can be found on Unwell Winter Games on YouTube. Brooks Nader, a Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition cover model, has taken her red swimsuit to the next level as one of the stars of the upcoming Baywatch reboot. Keep your eye on the 2026 TV schedule for a premiere date.

Rob Rausch has been the talk of the 2026 TV schedule, thanks to his dominant run on The Traitors. However, now that that’s over, he’s finding new work and making headlines for it, as he recorded an audiobook for Quinn (you know, the app known for audio erotica). So, as that project was released, Dancing with the Stars’ Emma Slater and Ezra Sosa listened to a clip of it, and their reactions are truly priceless.

In an eleven-second video, the DWTS pros reacted to Rausch saying things like “fuck, you’re so beautiful it’s unreal.” It’s an incredibly sexual audio clip, and while Slater seemed to be turning red, Sosa can be seen with his jaw on the floor. Honestly, their reactions are so relatable. Take a look:

Now, if you don’t know what Quinn is, hearing this audio would be jarring. I know this short clip left me blushing.

However, that’s likely the goal. Quinn is an audio erotica app that brings in very famous folks to record spicy, NSFW and romantic audiobooks. Connor Storrie and Hudson Williams did one not long after tons of people watched Heated Rivalry with an HBO Max subscription. Meanwhile, Tyriq Withers recorded one that was released around the same time as his movie Reminders of Him. The list also includes actors like The Summer I Turned Pretty’s Christopher Briney and Stranger Things’ Jamie Campbell Bower. Now, Rob Rausch has been added to it.

His story is called “The Snake Handler,” and in it he plays Alex, “a guarded, tattooed snake handler (sound familiar?) who lives alone.” According to a post from Quinn and Bustle, Rausch is telling Alex’s story as he “remembers the night a big storm blew Paige into his life.” And, obviously, things get spicy, as that short audio clip proved.

Like Slater and Sosa, people in the comments were not prepared for the NSFW audiobook from Rausch. Here are some of their thoughts:

• A volume warning would’ve been nice Emma -meech
• HELP I WASNT READY FOR THE AUDIO 😭 -Maine Kaye
• Manifesting him as your partner next season Emma -Shannon
• What in the actual where can I buy this is this ???? -Templestok
• EMMA THE CAPTION I JUST LOL -hannah

Yeah, with that last comment about the caption, we do indeed need to take a minute for that. Slater is dating fellow Dancing with the Stars pro Alan Bersten. So, as she posted this video of her reacting to a spicy audiobook, she also wrote:

Well, that sure got me laughing.

Anyways, along with this whole video being incredibly funny and a fantastic reaction to Rob Rausch’s latest career endeavour, it’s also a reminder that I want him on Dancing with the Stars. The pros want The Traitors winner on DWTS too! So, along with this video being funny by itself, it also feels like it's furthering the campaign to get the audiobook narrator into the ballroom.

Only time will tell if that dream becomes a reality. So, for now, Emma Slater and Ezra Sosa will keep dancing, seeing as the Dancing with the Stars tour is happening right now. Meanwhile, I’ll be curious to see what Rob Rausch decides to do next after being part of The Traitors Season 4 cast and recording this audiobook. Clearly, he likes to keep us on our toes, and I wouldn’t be surprised if his next project leaves our jaws on the floor just like Slater and Sosa’s were in their reaction video.

Even though Dancing With the Stars Season 35 won’t be coming until later this year on the 2026 TV schedule, fans are continuing to speculate as to who will be competing in the ballroom for the Len Goodman Mirrorball Trophy. Theories are including both celebrity contestants and pros, as viewers wonder who will be returning and who won’t be, especially now that DWTS is developing a new reality show to find the next pro. Rumors are floating around surrounding potential exits, and Emma Slater is responding.

Slater joined the reality dancing competition for Season 14 in 2012 as a troupe dancer before being promoted to pro for Season 17. She’s gone on to be a fan-favorite, winning Season 24 with former NFL player Rashad Jennings. While it’s unknown who will be returning in the fall, and pros usually don’t know until right before rehearsals start, Slater told her Season 34 partner Andy Richter how long she wants to keep doing the show for, while guesting on his podcast The Three Questions with Andy Richter. As she put it:

Considering Slater has 14 years of Dancing With the Stars under her belt, it’s a relief to know that she has no plans to step away. Of course, that’s only if the producers still like her as well, since it’s never a guarantee a pro will be back the next season, which is frustrating.

Slater remains a fan-favorite, and her partnership with Richter last season was arguably one of the best parts of the show. Not to mention the fact that she and fellow pro Alan Bersten have really cemented their romance. But for the time being, Slater is just going to go with the flow for as long as she can:

That’s the thing that sucks about doing a show like Dancing With the Stars. No matter how much you enjoy it, it’s always possible your last season is going to be your last. It sounds like Slater doesn’t seem too worried, at least for now, and doesn’t have any plans to walk away herself. We won’t know for sure which pros are returning until likely the fall, so it’s just a waiting game. At the very least, Slater knows what she’d want to do if producers decide they don’t want her back on the ballroom:

With the new DWTS spinoff about finding the next pro, it’s hard to predict what this means for the current pros, especially if the show sticks around for future seasons. Fans should be at least somewhat relieved knowing that, for now, Emma Slater isn’t going anywhere and that the rumors of her leaving or retiring are not true. Now we just have to wait and see if she’s truly coming back for Season 35.

The Winter Olympics are over, but gold medalist Alysa Liu is still enjoying her time in the spotlight after going viral for her memorable figure skating performance. While she's seemingly already plotting her next performance on the ice, Hollywood is curious if another primetime appearance on the 2026 TV schedule is on the table via Dancing With The Stars.

Entertainment Tonight caught up with Liu at Vanity Fair's party at the 2026 Oscars, and wanted to know if she'd be willing to join fellow Olympians like Stephen Nedoroscik and many others as part of the ABC dancing series. Liu gave a refreshingly honest answer, even if it wasn't the one that people wanted:

Well, that's a bummer. Alysa Liu's viral performance to Pink Pantheress' "Stateside" caught on as a trend on TikTok, so I think she'd be a shoo-in for a deep run thanks to her surge in popularity. As Andy Richter proved last season, popularity can get you further than talent!

If Liu is off the table, it looks like Dancing With The Stars will have to target other Olympic athletes for its upcoming season. It may already be happening, considering that pro Rylee Arnold posted videos training with men's skiers Ilia Malinin and Danny O’Shea.

DWTS has had dozens of Olympians on the show, and six have won the Len Goodman Mirrorball Trophy. It's a shame that Alysa Liu seems against the idea of competing on the show, but if she is serious about remaining in the competitive skating scene, I can see why she wouldn't commit. Every week on that show means another week she's not training or appearing at other tournaments, and with pro figure skaters typically retiring in their mid-20s, the 20-year-old may not have many years of competition left.

Given that, I would rule out her appearing on television years down the road, when the prospect of another gold medal is behind her. I don't blame her for thinking she still has awards to win after seeing how effortlessly she glided around the rink during the Winter Olympics, and I respect that maybe it's not the right time for a Dancing With The Stars appearance.

With that, we're still left wondering exactly who will be a part of Season 35 of Dancing With The Stars, which will premiere after a new spinoff series. The spinoff features professional dancers competing to be the next pro on the upcoming season, so I'm eager to see how it does and whether I'll enjoy it any more than the original show.

We can only wait and see, and prepare for Dancing With The Stars' eventual return to ABC and Disney+ this fall. Here's hoping Season 35's cast can live up to how great Season 34 was, and we get just as deserving a winner as Robert Irwin.

It’s been about three months since Dancing With the Stars Season 34 crowned its Len Goodman Mirrorball champions, and some fans are already looking towards Season 35. It’s still a bit too early for any kind of cast announcements, both celebrity contestants and pros, but that isn’t stopping Mark Ballas and other DWTS pros from campaigning to get The Traitors star Rob Rausch on the ballroom floor.

Rausch is currently competing as one of two final Traitors on Season 4 of the game show, streaming with a Peacock subscription on the 2026 TV schedule. Fans also know the 27-year-old from Love Island USA Season 5, and he’s certainly become a favorite among viewers, even as a Traitor. On The Traitors, his bromance with Ballas has been a highlight of the season, so it’s not surprising that the dancer is pushing to get him to be on DWTS on TikTok after Ezra Sosa and Hailey Bills used the DWTS tour to kickstart the campaign:

During each stop of the DWTS tour, Sosa and Bills hold up a sign during one of their performances, and at one of the shows, they just so happened to be campaigning for Rausch to compete on Dancing With the Stars. Ballas is definitely on board to make it happen, even despite the reality star’s traitorous behavior. However, Rausch may not be willing to give it a try, as he hilariously took to the comments to weigh in on the possibility:

The best part about Dancing With the Stars is seeing the celebrities with no dance experience whatsoever improving each week, making it to the end, and even sometimes nabbing the Mirrorball. While Rausch says he can’t move like that, Ballas begs to differ, replying that he’s seen videos that prove otherwise. Regardless, with just a few weeks of rehearsal, he would probably turn things around. It would definitely be fun to see what he would bring to the ballroom, and whether or not that will ever happen remains to be seen. While he is against it now, he could always change his mind later down the line.

Dancing With the Stars has seen many reality stars gracing the ballroom floor, including some from The Traitors, so it wouldn’t be entirely surprising if ABC were to eventually eye Rausch or even someone else from Season 4, especially if Ballas returned as a pro. If Rausch were to compete, it’s hard to predict who his partner would be, but it would be nice if he and Ballas were paired up, especially since there has yet to be a male-on-male pairing, but you never know.

More details surrounding Season 35 of DWTS should be announced in the coming months. For now, though, viewers can watch Ballas and Rausch on Season 4 of The Traitors on Peacock, with the finale and reunion special dropping on Thursday, February 26.

Typically, after the Olympics end, I start thinking about which athletes could compete on the next season of Dancing with the Stars. Last season, gymnast Jordan Chiles was paired with Ezra Sosa, and the season before that, gymnast Stephen Nedoroscik and rugby player Ilona Maher took the ballroom by storm. Now, I think it's the winter athletes' turn to join the show, and after seeing Rylee Arnold dance with two figure skaters, I know who should be her next partner.

At the moment, the Winter Olympics are airing on the 2026 TV schedule, and you can watch them with a Peacock subscription. However, in the fall, Dancing with the Stars will be back to take over the schedule for its 35th season. It looks like Rylee Arnold might be doing some recruiting for it, too, as she posted the following video on her Instagram from the Milan Cortina games:

As you can see, in this video, Arnold – who has been a pro on DWTS for three seasons – taught some moves to men’s skater Ilia Malinin and pairs skater Danny O’Shea. Both men were part of the gold medal-winning team, and in their respective individual competitions, Malinin came in eighth while O’Shea and his partner, Ellie Kam, came in ninth.

Now that their competitions are over, it would seem these guys are learning some new moves…dance moves, and I could really see both of them excelling on DWTS. However, I do have a clear favorite.

So, I think the obvious choice here is Malinin. He was the talk of the town going into the games; he’s nicknamed the “Quad God,” and while he didn’t go home with the gold, he is an incredibly impressive and well-known skater. With all that in mind, he’d be a good and notable person to bring on to the show.

However, based on Arnold’s practice video, I really want to see her paired with O’Shea on the show. As a pairs skater, he knows how to lift up his partner (literally), and as this clip shows, he can do it on solid ground too. Personally, I think he could make a real run for the title with Arnold!

Plus, it helped that when O’Shea posted his own footage from this interaction, he also included a video of him lifting Arnold up on the ice. Talk about impressive.

Oh, and the pro commented on his post, noting:

Now, the wait is really on, because I have ideas, so hopefully we’ll get some new casting soon. Last year, Alix Earle and Robert Irwin’s involvement on DWTS was announced months earlier than normal. So, it’s possible we’ll get some names in the coming months. However, even if that happens, we likely will not know who they’re paired with until the show kicks off in the fall.

I’m rooting for Rylee Arnold being paired with Danny O’Shea, though, and I actually really hope it happens. I think they’d be contenders, much like the pro was with Nedoroscik a couple of seasons ago. So, yes, I want to see this happen.

We’re just weeks away from The Bachelorette Season 22 premiere on the 2026 TV schedule, and for the first time in the show’s history, the lead is not a contestant from a previous season of The Bachelor, but rather a celebrity from a whole different reality show. I’m looking forward to watching Taylor Frankie Paul from The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives work her way through two dozen men, and I really love what her casting might mean for the rest of the dating franchise.

Rumors have started to circulate that other Bachelor Nation series might follow The Bachelorette’s lead by recruiting young singles who are already famous from other reality TV shows. For instance, there’s been some buzz that Robert Irwin, the most recent Dancing with the Stars champion, could lead The Bachelor, and a certain Housewife's hat has been thrown in the ring for The Golden Bachelorette. Let’s break down what each celebrity has said and why this would be great for Bachelor Nation.

I’m Expecting Taylor Frankie Paul To Breathe New Life Into The Bachelorette

I have to admit — I didn’t watch The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives before Taylor Frankie Paul was announced as the new Bachelorette. However, hearing the buzz and knowing that I was definitely going to be tuning in, I decided to embark on an intense binge of all three seasons (Season 4 premieres March 12 with a Hulu subscription).

That’s got to be one of the main benefits of stunt casting — Bachelor Nation fans who never watched SLOMW will want to get caught up before The Bachelorette, and people who already love the MomTok leader are going to tune in to see her journey on ABC, regardless of if they’ve been fans of the dating show in the past.

Paul’s established fame — and the fact that we’ve seen her go through so much with ex-boyfriend Dakota Mortensen — is going to bring an energy to The Bachelorette we haven’t seen before. So, will The Bachelor follow suit?

Robert Irwin Responds To Rumors About The Bachelor

Wildlife conservationist Robert Irwin’s love life got the attention of viewers when he was competing on Dancing with the Stars Season 34, and dating rumors started circulating after he and Season 32 winner Xochitl Gomez were paired for a dance. Gomez later confirmed she was still single, but that didn't stop fans from wanting to see Irwin find love. Rumors began to circulate that the 22-year-old could lead the next season of The Bachelor.

When asked by ET whether he might return to reality TV, Robert Irwin said, “Never say never,” which led to the obvious follow-up regarding whether he’d be interested in being The Bachelor. Irwin teased:

I’m encouraged by this response, and the powers that be at ABC should be trying to lock down this wholesome animal lover, like, yesterday. He’s charming, he’s hot, he’s got an accent — literally, what more do you want?

Is Countess Luann In The Running For The Golden Bachelorette?

Luann de Lesseps, an OG from The Real Housewives of New York, has apparently been on people’s minds to lead The Golden Bachelorette for a while. After Joan Vassos was cast for Season 1, in fact, Andy Cohen voiced his displeasure with the decision, saying Countess Luann would have been “amazing.”

The Bravo host might just be in luck, because back in December, Vassos made it sound like ABC might still have the Countess’ number. Given that the franchise was going in a different direction with Paul on The Bachelorette, Vassos told US Weekly:

Is The Golden Bachelorette something that Luann de Lesseps would be interested in? US Weekly asked her, and the RHONY alum didn’t hesitate, saying:

You heard her!

The Real Housewives franchise falls outside of my reality TV expertise, unfortunately, but I’ve loved getting to know several of them on The Traitors, and just like I binge-watched The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives for Paul, if de Lesseps were going to be The Golden Bachelorette, I’d definitely have to do my homework in that department, as well.

Continuing To Stunt-Cast On The Bachelor Would Only Benefit The Franchise

That goes back to what I said earlier about bringing in new fans from other reality TV shows. We’ve already seen how well this type of cross-promotion works on series like The Traitors. I typically don’t know who half of The Traitors cast members are at the beginning of a season, but that doesn’t affect how much I enjoy the game at all. In fact, I end up seeking out their most iconic reality TV moments, like Dan Gheesling staging his own funeral on Big Brother.

Bachelor Nation alumni have appeared — and largely been successful — on several other reality shows like Dancing with the Stars, The Traitors, Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test, Perfect Match and more. With Paul starring on The Bachelorette, it feels like the franchise might start playing by those rules and winning over new audiences by casting people we already know from other shows.

The partnership between The Bachelorette and The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives makes a lot of sense, given their Disney connections, and hopefully TFP’s season will be successful enough to encourage ABC to continue down that path. Robert Irwin and Luann de Lesseps are definitely good options to start, and I’d be thrilled if those rumors ended up being true.

For now, though, I know where I’ll be when the guys start exiting the limos to show Taylor Frankie Paul their best TikTok dance moves — tune into The Bachelorette Season 22, kicking off at 8 p.m. ET, Sunday, March 22, on ABC and streaming the next day on Hulu.

A new season of Dancing with the Stars has not yet arrived in the 2026 TV schedule, but there's big news all the same: the franchise may be adding a second show to the mix. Truth be told, I didn't even know I would be interested in a spinoff to the ABC dancing show, but after hearing the premise and who is involved, I'm so hyped to see it happen.

Variety reported that Dancing with the Stars: The Next Pro is likely airing this summer on ABC and for those with a Hulu subscription. It will feature multiple professional dancers competing for a chance to be the show's next pro, whilst also living under one roof. That's an awesome enough premise on its own, but I'm even more excited after hearing the people circling the show.

Robert Irwin Is In Talks To Host, And Some Well Known Pros Will Star As Judges

If Dancing With The Stars Season 34 winner Robert Irwin had plans to take his dancing act on the road, he may have to put that on hold. Word is that the wildlife advocate and Mirrorball Trophy winner is in talks to host the reality show, which will ultimately give the winner a role as a pro in Season 35.

While Irwin is a potential host, the series has reportedly locked in DWTS pro dancer Mark Ballas and his mother, Shirley, as judges. Mark is well-known for his dancing prowess to viewers, but fewer may know his mother is a professional known as "The Queen Of Latin" and has been a professional judge on the British version of the series, Strictly Come Dancing, since 2017. There will be a rotating judge or mentor added to the mix, and while no specific names were mentioned, I would assume it'll be a rotation of other DWTS pros, judges, or maybe even other former celebrities who competed.

Why I'm Hyped For This Dancing With The Stars Spinoff

Don't get me wrong, I love when Dancing With The Stars brings on someone like Andy Richter, and we see that evolution of them going from terrible to a more serviceable ballroom dancer. That said, I love the idea of seeing actual ballroom-trained dancers compete against each other, and see people who trained at the highest level knock our socks off with their routines.

Honestly, it was something I wasn't even aware I would be into seeing until I saw Maks Chmerkovskiy criticize Jan Ravnik being brought in as a pro in the latest season. To the untrained eye, I didn't think his dance moves were any different than the other pros performing, but Maks wasn't the only one talking about it.

In news that might be related, obviously, there's going to be a vacant spot this season for a pro dancer, and I do wonder if Dancing With The Stars: The Next Pro means we won't see Ravnik return. That's purely speculation, of course, because dancers bounce in and out of this series for various reasons year in and out. It might be someone else sitting out this season while the new pro gets a chance.

Look out for updates on Dancing With The Stars: The Next Pro as we get closer to summer, and expect the flagship series to return to ABC this fall. I'm all-in for both, though now wondering if this new pro will have an advantage heading into the season if viewers of the spinoff get to become fans of them and their story.

The 2026 TV schedule has a bit to go before a new season of Dancing With The Stars, but it seems as though recruiting efforts to get celebrities involved are happening year-round. Flavor Flav recently talked about the odds that he'd join the show after his recent judging stint, and added a bit about his next chapter in reality television.

Flav's stint as a guest judge was shaky at best, so one might wonder if he's better suited to be a competitor when the ABC dancing competition returns in the fall. It seems there are producers with the show who feel the same, as the rapper confirmed to People there is interest in him teaming up with a pro:

Could Public Enemy's hype man be in the cast of celebrities who compete in Season 35 of Dancing With The Stars? It seems like anything is possible, especially when it comes to the type of talent we've seen join the show in recent years.

Unfortunately, Flavor Flav doesn't seem too confident in his abilities to cut a rug. Public Enemy may be number one, but when it comes to Flav's ballroom dancing skills, he was pretty blunt in his response to if he had what it took to compete on the show:

We love a self-aware King Swiftie. It's nice to see that Flavor Flav knows his limits, though he could be surprised if he did sign up. It took a lot of work, but Andy Richter was able to have a serviceable run on the show thanks to the love and support of a DWTS audience that wanted to see him try.

I'm confident that Flavor Flav could have a similar run, but it seems he has his sights set elsewhere. Specifically, he seems to be booked ahead of Dancing With The Stars and planning a big television return. So big, in fact, that it's apparently bigger than the reality show he was known for:

He didn't become one of the biggest hype men in hip hop for no reason, and I'm hype to see whatever it is Flavor Flav is working on. I can only speculate, but I do wonder if this reality show is tied to his Taylor Swift fandom. If he were doing some sort of competition show where it was like a battle of Swiftie superfans, I would love to see that!

I also would love to see another new season of Dancing With The Stars, but I won't be streaming the new season with a Disney+ subscription until the fall season. If Flavor Flav is not in the mix of new celebrities competing, I can't wait to see who will be selected who can possibly measure up to the quality of last season's cast.

I'll be excited to see what Dancing With The Stars and Flavor Flav have planned when the time comes. Until then, we'll always have that moment the two crossed paths, and what a night that was to witness.

Dancing With the Stars may be known for bringing fan-favorite celebrities to the ballroom, but the long-running reality show is also known for something else. The series has seen quite a few relationships over the years between the cast and even celebrity contestants. In the current cast of pros, there are multiple married couples as well. Now, a former pro is explaining why that happens.

DWTS has played matchmaker for a lot of pros and celebrities over the years. Sometimes it works out, other times it doesn’t. A lot of pros have also dated the same people, but there’s a very good reason why. Former pro, Sharna Burgess, who has experienced first-hand what happens when you cozy up to someone else on the show, opened up about the challenges of being on Dancing With the Stars on the podcast Between Us Moms, and how consuming it can be:

You can see that support on full display too, when pros get married or have kids, their DWTS fam celebrates. It's also clear through their social media that they're really tight as well. So, the fact that some of them have fallen in love isn't surprising.

Considering these pros spend a lot of the year together between the show and tour, it makes sense that feelings would ultimately brew between some of them. Even with DWTS only doing one season a year with the tour, the romance hasn’t stopped. As recently as last year, two more pros got together, with Alan Bersten and Emma Slater confirming their relationship.

Along with them, there are multiple married couples on the cast of pros, including Daniella Karagach and Pasha Pashkov, as well as Jenna Johnson and Val Chmerkovskiy.

Plus, if I had a nickel every time DWTS had a showmance, whether fake or real, I’d be rich. But that’s one of the reasons why I love the show. You never know who could end up with whom, you never know what rumors will come about, and you never know if a relationship, whether romantic or platonic, will stick after the season ends.

One would think that all this romance between the cast would make things awkward, but all the pros seem to be close, regardless of breakups and makeups, and who’s with whom. Plus, considering how time-consuming working on this show is, it does make sense why they all end up in relationships with each other.

It’s no secret that for Candace Cameron Bure, faith comes first. It’s something that’s helped to inspire career decisions, like her move to Great American Family from Hallmark, and one that she admits isn’t always easy in the entertainment industry. In fact, it seems even she struggled a bit to stay grounded back when she competed on Dancing with the Stars, and she opened up about one thing that helped her through it.

On the latest episode of The Candace Cameron Bure podcast, the Full House veteran continued her series with The Bachelor star Madison Prewett, where they bonded over their reality TV experiences. While trying to win love on The Bachelor is admittedly different from trying to win a dance show, they were in agreement about the competitive instinct kicking in. Prewett referenced a Bible verse that seemed especially poignant, saying:

Candace Cameron Bure agreed wholeheartedly, because of course it’s natural to want people to like you and to be successful at whatever it is you’re trying to do. I can definitely see how not caring about the opinion and acceptance of others would be difficult; it seems like reality TV requires the exact opposite.

The same Bible verse was apparently also a source of comfort for Candace Cameron Bure during Season 18 of DWTS (when she, incidentally, came in third place with pro partner and Traitors Season 4 cast member Mark Ballas). Bure said:

The actress didn’t mention it in this conversation, but she more recently competed on The Masked Singer after being inspired by her Full House co-star Bob Saget’s appearance. She was eliminated after her first performance and has admitted that was a blow to her ego. I can only imagine this verse came up around that time, too.

This discussion about how their reality TV experiences challenged their focus on faith is just the latest topic tackled by Candace Cameron Bure and Madison Prewett. They’ve previously shared strong feelings about how Christians are portrayed in the media, and Prewett has spoken a lot about the trauma she experienced on The Bachelor, including the witchy nickname producers gave themselves.

While trying to stay grounded while competing on television may have been challenging, that’s probably nothing in comparison to the criticism they’ve faced on social media — and in Madison Prewett’s case, from Peter Weber’s mother. For that, their faith in God has 100% helped them not feel the need to fight back in the comments.

I'm looking forward to seeing what conversations continue to pop up for these two TV stars.

Dancing with the Stars is arguably one of the best reality TV shows in existence, so much so that it recently celebrated its 20^th birthday during the exciting Season 34. All in all, the show doesn't seem to be showing any signs of slowing down. While some viewers may tune in for the celebrity contestants, the series' pros have arguably been the heart and soul of DWTS. Still, between the dance rehearsals, live shows and the tour, there's discourse surrounding how much dancers make. So what’s what when it comes to their checks?

What’s The Usual Salary For A DWTS Pro?

According to sources who spoke with Us Weekly, professional dancers on DWTS start out at only $1,200, with that sum increasing with each episode. In other words, the longer they’re on the show, the more they get paid, with veteran pros making around $5,000 an episode. However, sometimes, after a pro’s first or second season, they are bumped down to troupe if production feels they need to improve more. This includes former pro and Season 25 winner Lindsay Arnold, who was promoted to pro for Season 16 and was back on troupe for Seasons 17 through 20.

Unfortunately, with a demotion comes a pay cut and, as Arnold said on Jason Tartick’s Trading Secrets podcast in 2022, her check was cut “more than in half.” She revealed that while she was on DWTS, she was able to make a living since the show ran two seasons a year. So “that doubled [her] salary every year.” With the way everything is organized now, though, it's different, especially since there’s never a guarantee a person will be asked back. Arnold explained:

On the other hand, current pro and two-time Mirrorball champ Jenna Johnson revealed on Kelly Stafford’s The Morning After podcast last year that pros are “guaranteed until a certain number of weeks.” However, there are different contracts, so Johnson couldn’t speak for everybody. Even when a pro is eliminated, they remain on the show until the end of the season, taking part in other dances as if they were an additional troupe member and still choreographing from time to time. Yet what happens when they do make it all the way?

How Much Do DWTS Pros Make If They Win The Mirrorball?

As for the winners, Johnson said in the same interview that, essentially, pros just get the Mirrorball Trophy. Apparently, there's no special bonus if they win. But, ahead of that, the pros are paid throughout the entire season, and they actually get a bonus for making it to the finale. That's still pretty special, and the pros and celebrity contestants are happy regardless if they win:

Considering all the prep that goes into Dancing with the Stars, which starts weeks before the season even kicks off due to rehearsals, it's surprising to hear there isn’t an additional bonus for the winners. Especially since there is only one season per year now, rather than two like the old days. While a lot of the pros also embark on the tours, one of which is currently happening, their salaries for that have not been disclosed. At the very least, it's fair to say the seasoned dancers remain quite busy in the pursuit of compensation.

After winning Dancing With the Stars Season 34, Witney Carson and Robert Irwin reunited! The pro dancer traveled all the way to Australia with her husband and sons to visit Irwin at the Australia Zoo and, of course, they documented it all on social media. The duo have been sharing loads of content, both photos and videos, which are quite sweet. And, while Carson went there to see Irwin, she ended up being preoccupied with another cute guy.

Among the many videos that Carson has been sharing from the trip is one that's long been in the making. The Instagram Reel shows her holding out her arms for a hug through airports and the plane before eventually landing in Australia and getting the hug she traveled 10,500 miles and 30 hours for. Hilariously, Irwin got bypassed and only received a high five while Carson ultimately got the hug she was waiting for from a furry little koala bear:

Of course, Carson and Irwin probably shared a pretty big hug when they finally reunited. Still, it’s just funny how that video makes you think she was talking about the wildlife conservationist and not an animal. Though I can’t say I blame her, because I would give just about anything to hug that cuddly koala, who immediately latched onto Carson. As she said in her caption, some hugs are worth traveling for.

The videos Carson and Irwin have been sharing from the family's visit. In one clip, Carson, her husband, and their two young boys even rep the Australia Zoo by sporting customized shirts and strutting alongside Irwin. Carson even joined Irwin during one of the alligator shows, and they showed off the dance moves that brought another Mirrorball Trophy to the zoo.

As one of Team IrWINit’s many fans, I could not be happier to see Witney Carson and Robert Irwin together again. Their win is especially notable, given that Carson came painfully close to a second Mirrorball several times before this past season.

On top of that, I'm a bit saddened by the fact that this might be the last time Irwin and Carson dance together until DWTS’ Season 35 finale, when they pass the Len Goodman Mirrorball Trophy to the next winner. However, considering how close the two of them are, it wouldn’t be entirely surprising if the two friends/teammates link up again before showtime later in the year.

It’s hard to believe it’s already been almost two months since Carson and Irwin won DWTS (which is streaming with a Disney+ subscription), and it’s clear that no matter how much time has passed, they can still dance together like it’s second nature. Now, their win will always be represented at the Australia Zoo alongside that of Robert's sister Bindi and Derek Hough, who took home the trophy 10 years ago.

Now, all that needs to happen is for matriarch Terri Irwin to compete to complete the trifecta. You never know what could happen, as it’s obvious conservation is not the only thing in the Irwins’ blood. We'll have to wait and see if that happens but, in the meantime, I'm just living for his sweet content from Robert and Witney Carson -- and that cute koala, of course.

After ending 2025 on a high note by winning Season 34 of Dancing With the Stars, Robert Irwin is continuing to ride that high in 2026. The conservationist, who has been getting back to work at Australia Zoo, recently announced a new reality TV gig much closer to home. However, before that, he reunited with his fellow champ Witney Carson for a very cute video.

Carson has been sharing on social media in recent weeks that she and her family are taking a trip Down Under to visit Australia Zoo, and the time has finally come. After posting a video of her, her husband, and their two sons on the long flight, the DWTS pro finally reunited with Irwin. He posted a fun TikTok of the five of them in their Zoo fits, too. Take a look at Team IrWINit:

It’s been just over a month since the Dancing With the Stars finale, but it also feels like it's been a long time since Carson and Irwin were together and on their path to victory. So, it is just so nice to see them in the same vicinity again.

With Carson at Australia Zoo, this also means she’ll be able to meet her namesake, Witney the Wallaby.

Overall, it’s really sweet to see just how close the pair still is and how the wildlife conservationalist is basically part of the dancer's family now. Also, I have certainly missed Carson and Irwin's TikToks, and I really hope this is not the only one they do together.

Irwin and Carson’s reunion comes just before he sets his sights on a different reality show on the 2026 TV schedule. It was confirmed in November that he’d be returning to Australia’s I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here!, People reported that the 22-year-old will co-host alongside Julia Morris for the new season, premiering on January 18. The duo has been hosting the Australian reality show since 2024, after Irwin replaced Chris Brown. Morris, meanwhile, has been hosting since the series premiered in 2015. (It's not Thunder Down Under or Chippendales, but it's definitely fun.)

With Irwin returning to I’m A Celebrity, that should make things a little easier for him when it comes to work and family. He was in the States for a while for Dancing With the Stars, with his family moving out to LA as well to cheer him on. Now that he’s back on his home turf, and he’s probably excited about sticking around for a while and getting back to work not only at Australia Zoo, but I’m A Celebrity.

It wouldn’t be surprising if Witney Carson and her family make this an annual trip, but if anything, there will surely be more TikTok videos to come of her and Robert Irwin. I miss seeing the two of them dancing together already, so just getting these videos makes it a bit better. At the very least, Season 34 of DWTS is available to stream with a Disney+ subscription, so all Team IrWINit moments can be watched and enjoyed there.

Milo Manheim has accomplished a lot since he first starred in Zombies on the Disney Channel, including placing second on Season 27 of Dancing With The Stars. Now he’s returning to his Disney roots in the upcoming live-action remake of Tangled, and his former DWTS partner Witney Carson had an adorable reaction to his casting announcement.

Since they parted ways in 2018 after their buzz-worthy run together on DWTS, the former dance partners have kept busy. This past year alone, Manheim starred in Little Shop of Horrors Off-Broadway and filmed Season 3 of School Spirits, which is set to premiere later this month on the 2026 TV schedule. Meanwhile, Carson finally won another Mirrorball Trophy alongside her Season 34 DWTS partner, Robert Irwin. Manheim and Carson are still in touch, though, and the pro-dancer told EW she reached out to the Zombies actor to share her excitement about his role in the upcoming Disney film:

As any fan of Dancing With The Stars knows, the training for the show is an intense process. Many pairs that progress far into the show become bonded. The Prom Pact actor appeared on DWTS in 2018, when he was 17 years old. So it’s no wonder the mother of 2 feels like a proud parent to the now 24-year-old.

Manheim’s extensive resume, for someone so young as Carson pointed out, is quite impressive and shows what a talented actor and singer he is. More importantly, his run on Dancing With The Stars proved how charming he can be. There’s no way you can watch this video and say he’s not a leading man:

The Season 27 DWTS runner-ups kind of give Flynn Rider and Rapunzel, what with Carson’s long blonde hair. I don’t know how they didn’t do a Tangled tribute on Disney night, instead opting for The Incredibles. Missed opportunity.

However, the Thanksgiving actor did not let the opportunity pass when the live-action Flynn slid across his desk. Manheim seriously manifested his casting for this competitive role. I’m sure it didn’t hurt to have the fans online fighting for him as well. While I think this is a good image likeness and personality casting, it will be interesting to see Manheim take on a role other than his typical high schooler. However, the actor is now 24, and with his grown-out facial hair and fresh off a big Broadway gig, I agree that he will do this beloved Disney “prince” justice.

In addition to the Journey To Bethlehem actor’s Flynn Rider casting announcement, the live-action Tangled also announced Teagan Croft as its Rapunzel. Both were shortlisted for the roles last year, with Manheim being a popular fancast. The only thing that would make me happier as a Tangled fan would be confirmation of Kathryn Hahn as Mother Gothel.

After Scarlett Johansson’s name was thrown around as a potential candidate for the deceiving Tangled villain, I had elected the other Marvel alum as my personal preference for the role, as Hahn has already played a similar character to Gothel in Agatha All Along. The Studio actress is reportedly in talks to take on Rapunzel’s manipulative mom, and this would just be a trifecta casting.

Much like Witney Carson, I’m so excited to see Milo Manheim as Flynn Rider, but we will have to wait to see his take on the infamous smolder. The live-action Disney film hasn’t started production yet, so there’s no expectation for it to appear on the 2026 movie schedule. In the meantime, the original Tangled is available to stream with a Disney+ subscription, and if you really can’t wait for the remake, you can print and tape a little Milo Manheim and Teagan Croft to your screen while you watch.

We’ve had romances come out of Dancing with the Stars, including the whirlwind relationship between Brooks Nader and Gleb Savchenko. There are also multiple couples on the cast, seeing as many of the pros are married to or dating other pros. So, reports about romances on the show aren’t uncommon. However, I have to say, I was pretty shocked when I heard the rumor that Ezra Sosa and Jordan Chiles were engaged, and I was even more shocked when I learned how they reacted to it.

Ezra Sosa was also shocked by this news. The pro dancer, who is openly gay, took to Instagram when he saw a headline that reported that he was “secretly engaged” to the gymnast. Along with a cheeky video of him putting on sunglasses and blowing a kiss to the camera, he also wrote:

However, the plot twists don’t end there. That’s because a couple of days after he posted about the rumor, he uploaded another video that showed him and Chiles getting matching tattoos that say “Just Married,” take a look:

Now, for those who might not remember, the season before Sosa and Chiles were paired, the pro danced with Anna Delvey, and they were eliminated first. Notably, when that happened, Delvey was asked what she’d take away from the show, and she said, “Nothing.” In honor of that, her partner literally got a tattoo of the word “nothing” to pay homage to the season.

So, he and Chiles pulling a stunt like this isn’t exactly off-brand, and it fits right in with other cheeky and funny things the dancer has done. People are loving it too. In another Instagram post that Sosa uploaded that showed off the tattoo and a ring on Chiles' finger, lots of folks connected to DWTS reacted. Here are some of the best comments:

• LOOK AT THESE LOVE BIRDS!! 😍 -Chandler Kinney
• Congrats you guys!!!!! 😍😍😍 -Brylee Armstrong
• I LOVE love congrats!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!🤪🤧🥳🫶🏽😩 -Laurie Hernandez
• Obsessed with this 🤣💜 -Dancing with the Stars

All those are really funny; however, I’d like to draw your attention now to what Brandon Armstrong wrote. The pro took to the comments to reference a fake tattoo he got when he was eliminated during the season that aired on the 2025 TV schedule. So, while the "Just Married" tattoos seem legit, Armstrong's statement seemingly alludes to the idea that they may be temporary. He wrote:

Honestly, the tattoos look real to me. However, as Armstrong seemed to imply, they could be fake.

Overall, the incredibly unserious nature of these posts and the comments suggests that this is, as People put it, “an elaborate joke.” Plus, there were no romance rumors before this, Chiles has not posted about all this at the time of this writing, and, as mentioned earlier, Ezra Sosa is an out gay man. Therefore, the odds of this being true are slim to none.

All around, this was a hilarious and wild way for the Dancing with the Stars Season 34 finalists to react to one wild rumor. Now, when the show returns on the 2026 TV schedule (you can stream old seasons with a Disney+ subscription), I’m looking forward to seeing what other silly stunts get pulled, and hopefully, before then, we’ll find out if these tattoos are really real or if they’re a bit.

After Dancing with the Stars' viral year, I’ve been thinking a lot about who could be on the next season. I’m not going to lie, when I watched Season 5 of Emily in Paris, I was thinking about how Ashley Park would be a great fit, seeing as she always kills Mindy’s musical numbers. However, while chatting with the actress about a dance moment in the new episodes, she noted that one of her co-stars would be a good fit for the reality competition too. I gotta say, I see the vision here.

As Season 5 of Emily in Paris premiered on the 2025 TV schedule, and I spoke to Lily Collins and Ashley Park about the ending involving Gabriel and Emily in Greece. I also asked about Mindy’s romantic situation. She wound up in quite the love triangle with Nico (Paul Forman) and Alfie (Lucien Laviscount), so I had to ask about her new relationship with Laviscount’s character, specifically. That led to us chatting about the scene where Mindy and Alfie were practicing a dance, and ultimately did the Dirty Dancing lift.

Park explained that she’d “never laughed harder” working on the scene, and proceeded to hype up her co-star’s skills (and Dancing with the Stars potential), saying:

This statement got both Park and Collins laughing. However, I could totally see both the Mindy and Alfie actors killing it on DWTS. The Joy Ride actress would be a natural on the show, seeing as she has a background in musical theater. Meanwhile, while Laviscount isn’t a trained dancer, he did prove he has what it takes to become one during this season of Emily in Paris.

Ashley Park noted that too, as she explained:

Now, I am not a person who criticizes DWTS for having people with dance experience on the show; in fact, I love seeing a range of skill levels represented. Therefore, I think Park would be a great person to cast for it. However, I also really love it when someone who knows very little about dance competes, learns and shows off immense growth across the entire season. Based on Lucien Laviscount’s performance in Emily in Paris, I think he could do just that.

He fully committed to the dance in Emily in Paris, as you can see when you stream Season 5, Episode 3 with a Netflix subscription, and that’s the kind of energy you need to succeed on Dancing with the Stars. So, yes, I totally get why Ashley Park had this thought, and now, I’d like to see it turned into a reality!

I can see it now, Laviscount being paired with someone like Jenna Johnson or Daniella Karagach (or any pro, really) would be so fun.

He and Park also made for excellent dance partners in Emily in Paris; he clearly can learn how to dance, and so, I’d love to see how he grows as a dancer if he got to compete on DWTS.

Dancing with the Stars wrapped its 34th season earlier this month, crowning Robert Irwin as the champion alongside pro dancer Witney Carson. We’ve got some time before the next season presumably hits the 2026 TV schedule, but ideas are constantly being floated for which actors, reality stars, athletes and influencers might be next to enter the ballroom. Former troupe member Hayley Erbert Hough definitely has thoughts, and while Chris Hemsworth is a fun option, I love the singer she’s always had her eye on.

Hayley Erbert Hough has a long history with Dancing with the Stars. In addition to serving as a member of the dance troupe on multiple seasons, she’s married to pro-turned-judge Derek Hough. As far as who she’d like to see pair up with one of the show’s professional dancers, there’s one singer Hayley has been wanting for a long time. She told Woman’s World:

What a fantastic suggestion. Celine Dion may be known for her powerful vocal abilities and hits like “The Power of Love” and the “My Heart Will Go On,” but dance is a huge passion of hers as well.

In December 2022, the iconic Canadian singer announced she’d been diagnosed with Stiff Person Syndrome, a rare neurological disorder that caused spasms, making it difficult for her to walk or use her vocal chords. While she was forced to cancel the multiple shows she had scheduled, Celine Dion made an emotional comeback appearance at the opening ceremonies of the 2024 Paris Olympics.

I’m not sure how or if the muscle stiffness or other symptoms that reportedly can come with SPS would affect Celine Dion’s ability to be on DWTS, but it’s certainly something I think a lot of people would be interested in.

She wasn’t the only name Hayley Erbert Hough threw out, though. One specific Marvel actor also stuck out to the dancer as someone who would be good on the show, as she said:

Dang it, Australia! I guess that makes sense, with Chris Hemsworth being Australian and all.

The Thor actor competed on the Down Under version of DWTS in 2006, where he made it to Week 7 with partner Abbey Ross. With 20 years having passed, I personally think enough time has passed for him to compete in America.

We’ll have to see what happens, because he’s not the only one people are hoping to see. Fellow MCU star Simu Liu is a top choice amongst fans, who would love to see him partnered with Britt Stewart. And after both Bindi and Robert Irwin claimed the Len Goodman Mirrorball Trophy, people are now calling for their mom Terri to take the dance floor. Only time will tell!

Season 34 of Dancing with the Stars saw Robert Irwin and Witney Carson going for the gold, and they were proudly crowned champions. Amid the 2025 TV schedule, the wildlife conservationist mastered different dance styles like ballroom, high-energy freestyle and some hot salsa. That last dance was actually “spicy” that Irwin was hesitant to tell his family about his shirtless Latin dancing, though he tried to do so in a humorous way.

Considering Robert Irwin did a sexy underwear ad, it was probably inevitable that he'd bring that type of sex appeal to DWTS. And he surely did with his shirtless salsa dancing routine to “Million Dollar Baby." Needless to say, that moment was widely discussed by fans. However, it was revealed on the Not Gonna Lie with Kylie Kelce podcast that Irwin's relatives had no idea he was going to bring about some sexy moves, and he explained why:

Muy caliente of spice, to be exact! Robert Irwin really brought his A-game to that dance and a confidence that felt both fresh and electrifying. I can understand why the Australian Zoo employee was a bit hesitant to show his family a preview of himself in a new, shirtless light. I have to say, had I also been in a position to give a somewhat risqué performance, I'd be nervous to tell my relatives as well.

It may not have been on the TV personality’s bingo card to show his family what his “spicy” TikTok Night dance would be like. However, Irwin continued to talk about how he got up the nerve to somewhat warn the Irwins about what would happen during the broadcast:

Those are fair points. Considering Robert Irwin is now a man, he’s free to show off a more sensual side of himself. Someone could argue that the “Million Dollar Baby” dance was a transformative experience for the Bonds underwear model in that he was encouraged by his dance partner to find an “edgy,” “passionate” side of himself that he claimed he never knew existed. Mission accomplished, I'd say. Check out the routine:

Essentially, Robert Irwin was simply taking a page out of his DWTS-champion sister Bindi’s playbook, whose sage advice to her brother was to be himself and make every dance his own. Not only did Robert pull it off with the judges’ high scores, but even Thunder Down Under and Chippendales wanted him after that. Clearly, people are feeling the confidence that the young Irwin sibling exuded while dancing shirtless.

If anything, I'd give Irwin credit for at least trying to make his family aware of shirtless dancing beforehand. Although they were surprised, I'd imagine they were ultimately supportive when he ultimately won that Mirrorball Trophy. With two Irwins now having competed Robert and Bindi's mom, Terri, just has to answer her son’s request to compete on the competition series next. Should that happen, I'd love to see how Robert would react if his mom had to take part in a "spicy" routine.

If you want to revisit all of Robert Irwin’s A+ dances, you can watch the full 34th season of Dancing with the Stars with a Hulu subscription.

It’s been over a year since the romance between Brooks Nader and Gleb Savchenko happened during Dancing with the Stars. However, we’re still talking about it. Most recently, the pro’s former partner opened up about when they started sleeping together, and it turns out that things got hot and heavy immediately.

While talking about dating men, Andy Cohen asked Nader on What What Happens Live about her relationship with Savchenko. He was specifically wondering how long they dated. In response, the former DWTS competitor said:

When Season 33 of Dancing with the Stars was airing, there was speculation about their relationship, and people wondered if Nader and Savchenko were dating. They confirmed that their relationship was “real” back in December of 2024, despite breakup rumors that came a month earlier. Then, they actually broke up in April of 2025, per E! News.

Now, going back to their first day as dance partners. As the conversation on WWHL continued, Nader explained that they started sleeping together “the day [she] met him,” as in at the “meet and greet.” In shock, Cohen specifically asked about how quickly they slept together. In response, the model said it was the first day they met, and explained why it happened:

Well, she made it clear that she liked what she was working with, because after Cohen said "obviously it was good," Nader said:

Erika Jayne, who was partnered with Gleb on Season 24 of DWTS and had no sexual tension with him, asked, “Was the dick any good?” Nader replied by making it very clear that she enjoyed her intimate time with the pro, saying:

Well, she made it very obvious why she and the dancer started sleeping together on day one.

Now, these days they are not together. Following a lot of rumors and claims about them and even Savchenko’s future on Dancing with the Stars, they’re clearly doing their own things. Specifically, Gleb continued to compete on DWTS, as he was paired with Hilaria Baldwin in the season that finished airing on the 2025 TV schedule last month. Meanwhile, this year, Nader starred in the reality series Love Thy Nader, which is available to stream with a Hulu subscription.

However, as they both move forward, every now and again, as this story proves, information about their passionate romance arises.

Dancing With the Stars is officially done on the 2025 TV schedule, with America choosing Robert Irwin and Witney Carson as the Len Goodman Mirrorball Trophy recipients for Season 34. Among the finalists were Dylan Efron, who was given some brutal strategy ideas from pal and Survivor favorite Boston Rob. But the strategy wasn’t the only thing that was brutal about DWTS for Efron, as I just found out he had to give his dog to someone so he could focus.

Training for DWTS is pretty intense, and recent competitor Danielle Fishel had the bruises to prove it. Efron even broke his nose at one point closer to the end of the season, entirely because rehearsals were so tough. But that’s not even the full picture. While speaking to US Weekly, The Traitors winner shared how he’s been getting his life back to normal post-DWTS, and this even includes getting his dog back, which is as surprising as ever:

I knew that Dancing With the Stars training was tough, but the fact that Efron had to literally hand his dog off to someone else, likely so he could focus, is pretty insane. Since he lives in Los Angeles, where DWTS is filmed, location was not an issue. It’s likely so he can put all his focus on the show and make sure that his dog had the proper love, attention, and care that he wouldn’t be able to give it since he’d have to eat, breathe, and sleep DWTS. It just really gives more perspective on how intense the show truly is.

During Dancing With the Stars, Efron gave fans a look at what the first day of learning a new dance is like, and partner Daniella Karagach was really putting him through the wringer. That being said, all that training eventually paid off since they made it to the finals and finished in fourth place. But knowing the extra mile that he went for it truly makes it all worth it.

Meanwhile, Andy Richter didn’t hold back on his own DWTS training experience. He previously shared how it “wasn’t just exercise, it was borderline abuse,” revealing that he would have to ice his knee and get injections just to be able to keep going. Of course, even amid the abuse, he was still able to film funny TikToks, but especially for someone his age, the training can certainly take a toll on the body.

Even though it’s always exciting when a new season of Dancing With the Stars rolls around, it must be nice for the pros and celebrities every year to be able to somewhat get back to a normal routine when it all ends. And I wouldn’t be surprised if Efron were to stay away from reality competitions for the time being, so he can be with his pup.

Though the winner of Dancing with the Stars Season 34 has been crowned, the internet is still buzzing with some of the most viral moments from this season, including one involving Zac Efron. His brother, Dylan Efron, was a celebrity participant this season, paired with Daniella Karagach. When Zac finally appeared on screen reacting to his brother’s semifinals tango, the clip went viral as people tried to interpret what he was saying. Now, Dylan is setting the record straight on what was actually said during that DWTS clip and, apparently, the internet got it wrong.

In the viral DWTS clip, Dylan Efron and Daniella Karagach are given a score of 27, and the cameras immediately cut to the Greatest Showman actor sitting in the audience. In the video, the eldest Efron appears to be asking his mom if that score was good, or possibly asking if that was their high score, seemingly a little confused.

The internet has been bickering over this moment ever since. So, when Dylan Efron made a guest appearance on Smith Sisters Live last week, they had to know what really happened. The DWTS celeb shared truth behind the viral moment with the sisters in this clip from Sirius XM:

Ah, so it seems Zac Efron wasn’t confused over how the show and scoring worked, but rather why his brother’s groovy tango got the score it did. I have to say, I was thinking the same thing after watching the performance, which includes a lot of complex movements and spins. The final product is all the more impressive after Efron's detailing of the intense week-long process of learning a new dance, which is on his social media.

Many people waited all season to possibly see Efron and Karagach work some High School Musical choreo into a performance. However, I'd argue that Efron’s dedication to the competition (during which he broke his nose) arguably ended up outshining his famous brother’s shadow. Although, they did perform a touching contemporary with Efron’s little sister, Olivia, to Zac Efron and Zendaya’s version of “Rewrite The Stars” on dedication night.

To DWTS Season 33 champ Joey Graziadei’s credit, Dylan Efron was a great dark horse candidate this season for this reason. Perhaps his growth over the course of the competition should have been taken into consideration with this Week 9 score and, according to the reality star, big brother Zac would agree:

Moral of the story: don’t question Zac Efron’s fierce support of his brother again. I think I would also be miffed if the internet assumed I hadn’t been keeping up with the reality show my sibling was competing in. The two extremely handsome brothers seem close, and I’m sure the Neighbors star had been keeping tabs on the competition. Dylan Efron previously expressed how much it meant to have his family in the audience but, of course the one time Zac is able to support his brother in person, it spirals into internet chaos.

Unfortunately, the Traitors Season 3 champ fell short of a second reality TV win, coming in fourth on DWTS, even with his brother possibly rigging the votes via social media. However, I have enjoyed seeing another side of Dylan Efron and viewing him as more than Zac Efron’s younger brother, and I’m excited to see what he does next.

Dancing With the Stars Season 34 has crowned its Len Goodman Mirrorball Trophy winners, and I’m already getting withdrawals. The competition for the show's run on the 2025 TV schedule was pretty tough this season, and the celebrity contestants were no joke. Among the finalists was Dylan Efron, who is no stranger to reality competitions, having previously won The Traitors. However, while he brought his A-game to the ballroom, there were some brutal Survivor-like strategy ideas he got from his friend and Traitors co-star, Boston Rob, that he didn't use.

Rob “Boston Rob” Mariano has appeared in eight seasons of Survivor, and was the runner-up in two of them and the winner of Survivor: Redemption Island, though he did turn down Survivor 50. That being said, Survivor and DWTS are two very different shows, and you don't go about winning them the same way. However, that didn’t stop Mariano from trying to give some advice to Efron after the two formed quite the bromance on The Traitors.

During an episode of E!’s Hot Goss, Mariano and Efron explained just how much strategy truly went into DWTS:

• Boston Rob: You don't realize that there's strategy on Dancing with the Stars.
• Dylan Efron: I was calling him every show day, but we had a lot of strategies. Some we didn't use, some we did.

Of course, Mariano knows a thing or two about strategizing, because that’s one of the key elements to winning Survivor.

Even though there aren’t any crazy mental challenges or totems on Dancing With the Stars, you do have to technically fight to survive, albeit in a different way. Boston Rob immediately showed his support for Efron with the first episode of DWTS, and it’s nice to know that the support never faltered all season. So much so that the longer it went on, Mariano felt the need to give some advice to Efron that certainly mirrored how alliances are formed on Survivor:

Considering Efron and Andy Richter, who was partnered with Emma Slater and voted off just before the semis, were both beloved during their time on the show, it only made sense that they became close. And even though the Survivor legend joked that it could have helped his friend advance on the show, Efron made sure to defend himself and say that he didn’t follow Mariano’s lead, which really makes his and Richter’s friendship all the sweeter:

• Dylan Efron: Just to be clear, I did not use this strategy.
• Boston Rob: He didn't! And that's why he ended up in fourth place.

Whatever it was that helped Efron make it to the finals, aside from Daniella Karagach’s always-incredible choreography, Mariano seems to be pretty proud of his friend, which is nice to see. It’s also nice to know that Efron didn’t take the brutal advice from his friend and still ended up not only becoming friends with Richter but also coming in fourth.

This does make me curious about how Dylan Efron would do in an actual Survivor setting. We know that he’s great at strategizing since he was one of the winners of The Traitors Season 3, and he can make friends and compete physically, as evidenced on DWTS. With Mariano by his side, who knows what he could do on Survivor?

Dancing with the Stars Season 38 was a great time, thanks in part to the incredibly likable cast involved Though he didn't move like eventual winner Robert Irwin, Andy Richter was an underdog favorite with the people and great at keeping them entertained with his fun videos with his pro partner, Emma Slater. Richter is keeping that trend going in the postseason as well, after sharing a kiss with dancer Alan Bersten.

Richter and Slater were thick as thieves when they partnered together, but I have to wonder if their relationship will ever be the same after Andy kissed her boyfriend. I'm kidding, of course, because it's clear they're joking in this video of a bunch of stars hanging out at an L.A. Kings game:

I think what I love most about this video is Jan Ravnik's reaction from over their shoulder. He was just so happy to witness what's happening, and I'd like to imagine that a number of others are delighted as well. Props to Alan Bersten and Andy Richter for having a little fun at the game, and making a viral moment in the process.

There's a good chance Bersten and Richter had plenty of time to get close during Dancing with the Stars and will continue to do so on the DWTS tour in 2026. Both are scheduled to make appearances on the show, and who knows, maybe they'll be kissing more on the various tour stops they're both at?

The only sad part about this viral video is that it reminded me that we're not going to get to see Andy Richter regularly when Dancing returns in the new year. Fans rarely get to watch a celebrity competitor quite as entertaining as he was and, suffice it to say, the bar is high for next season.

As for Alan Bersten, he always has a great time with DWTS competitors, lest I bring up his iconic friendship with pro athlete Ilona Maher. Plus, he now has the habit of dressing up in wild costumes at least once a season, so I hope he's already brainstorming on what he'll wear next season.

Meanwhile, Andy Richter is going to keep popping up in Hollywood, taking on jobs that come his way. I know I would love to see him continue making his way around the reality TV circuit, though his options are limited now that he's done Dancing with the Stars and The Masked Singer. I would wager one of his only remaining options is to be on Special Forces: World's Toughest Test and, if he thought the DWTS training sessions were tough, I'm sure that Fox series would be hell I wouldn't wish on him. For now, though, let's just fondly reflect on Ritcher's season, which is a true chef's kiss (sorry).

Dancing with the Stars is on hiatus, and it's likely news of a new season and celebrity cast will drop sometime in the new year. Check out the latest season by streaming it with a Disney+ subscription in the meantime, and see some incredible dancing from many competitors in the season!

Dancing With The Stars Season 34 wrapped with Robert Irwin holding the Len Goodman Mirrorball Trophy, becoming the second member of his family to win the ABC competition series. With a new season surely on the way to the 2026 TV schedule, some are eager to see if the family can go three-for-three, get Terri Irwin her own trophy, and really make this a dancing dynasty.

The Irwin family matriarch did have a brief dance number with Robert during Season 34, but has not competed on the series in earnest. People want to see the wife of famed conservationist Steve Irwin on the show next, and Robert shared his thoughts on that happening with THR:

I'm not sure if it's "only fair" that Terri Irwin compete on Dancing With The Stars, but I do agree with Robert Irwin's general sentiment that it should happen. I'm invested in the Irwin family becoming the first celebrity dynasty of the show, and completing the three-peat.

That said, I can totally understand why Terri Irwin would be apprehensive to compete, given the circumstances. Among the nerves that other celebrities like Alix Earle had, I can only imagine how Irwin would feel with the pressure, knowing that Dancing With The Stars viewers want her to win it all, just like her children. I know I wouldn't want to compete like that, especially in a competition that seems to balance the fun with hard work.

Terri Irwin could surprise me, of course, much like Robert Irwin shocked the world by being wildly good at dancing right from the start. His performances were so good that people were encouraging him to get into dancing elsewhere, and the response to this season was so overwhelming that there are calls to bring it back to two nights a week.

Of course, if the Irwin family were to head back to Australia now that they've spent a good deal of time in the United States during Dancing With The Stars, I could hardly fault them for that. There are plenty of other celebrities who would be more than willing to go on television and dance with pros for weeks to win that trophy, so no need to pressure Terri Irwin into doing it if she's really opposed to doing so.

Dancing With The Stars is on hiatus at the moment, but I would expect we'll hear about a new season in the new year on ABC and Disney+. In the meantime, I'm already brainstorming who will be a part of the next cast, and which pros will be returning after this latest season.

Dancing with the Stars crowned the Season 34 winners of the Len Goodman Mirrorball Trophy amid the 2025 TV schedule just last week. With that, fans may now be wondering what’s in store for the 35^th season. Even more so than ever after Tom Bergeron returned to the ballroom for the show’s 20^th anniversary party and called for ABC to bring back the results show. Now, an EP is weighing in on the possibility.

It seems like it’s been a long time since DWTS not only aired two seasons a year but also aired two episodes a week. Up until Season 17 in 2013, the dances took place on one night and results were revealed on a different night. However, those elements were eventually combined to just one night, giving viewers only a couple of hours to vote for their favorites.

During DWTS’ 20^th birthday party episode, Bergeron shared how viewers were breaking records week after week with their voting, leading him to ask for the results show to be brought back. That way, everyone would receive the chance as, right now, viewers on the West Coast aren’t really able to since the show isn’t live when it airs in such states. Bergeron makes a good point, but executive producer Deena Katz told TV Insider shared a different take:

Dancing with the Stars has now been without a results show longer than it actually had one, yet it’s clear that it’s still very much missed. Not only do fans on the West Coast not have much of a chance to vote, unless they go in blind, but the results also aren't shared until the last couple of minutes of an episode. So, when the credits start rolling, there isn’t much time to celebrate.

As someone who's watched DWTS on and off over the years, I would love nothing more than for the results show to come back, especially if that means two episodes a week. The results shows were always spectacles as well, but I can see why Katz thinks the series is doing well now with the condensed format.

However, if ratings continue to climb after Season 34's massive success, execs could possibly consider bringing the results show back. Or, at the very least, DWTS could change its format so the results aren’t given right before the credits roll.

Meanwhile, fans have also been itching for two seasons a year, but another EP, Conrad Green, shared that the format is out of their hands and argued that having a single season per a year makes like a real event. I wouldn't mind seeing some changeups, though, even if it means going to the old format -- results show and all. We'll have to wait and see what happens but, for now, fans can still look forward to watching Season 35 next fall.

Dancing with The Stars crowned its Season 34 winner this past Tuesday, with the finale hitting record viewership and voting. Robert Irwin followed in his sister’s footsteps, taking home the Len Goodman Mirrorball Trophy with pro partner Witney Carson. This comes as no surprise to many fans, as the Australian nature conservationist has consistently received high scores and fan attention since Week 1. The top 3 celebrity finalists are all Gen Z celebrities (in order, Robert Irwin, Alix Earle, and Jordan Chiles), signaling to a new generation of fans DWTS has ushered in. The question is, could the show sustain this new audience enough to return to competitions twice a year?

After the major success and celebrations of this latest Dancing with the Stars season, TV Insider caught up with executive producers Conrad Green and Deena Katz to ask about potentially returning to the bi-annual schedule. While the EPs gave no confirmation on altering the show's current format, Green did share his opinions on the proposed changes:

2018 was the last time Dancing with the Stars hosted two seasons in one year, scaling back to an annual format starting with Season 28. The reasoning behind this decision was to open the spring time slot for American Idol. However, the real answer lies in the ratings dip following Bobby Bones' controversial win in Season 27, where he kept advancing over others with perfect scores, even winning with the lowest score on finale night.

However, as original DWTS host Tom Bergeron pointed out, the show is hitting record ratings again, with the Season 34 finale being the most watched finale in nearly a decade. When Bergeron, who left the show after hosting for 28 seasons, returned to guest host and judge on this season’s 20th Anniversary special, he made a plea with ABC executives to bring back the results show. This would allow viewers to have a full 24 hours to digest the week’s dances, instead of the 2 hour runtime of the weekly show, which potentially shuts out West Coast viewers from watching the performances before they vote.

Ultimately, though Green still seems hesitant to mess with the current weekly structure:

The show has significantly grown its younger audience in the past couple years, as its been reported that the audience demographic from 18-49 nearly doubled this season compared to last. The uptick in BTS social media content between the pros and celebrities is definitely a key contributing factor, as well as the virality of certain choreography, like Witney Carson and Danny Amendola’s leg left from Season 33.

While this is good news for DWTS, I have to agree with Green about the once a year format being good for the show’s ratings, and making it something to look forward to. But there’s another reason why I think the annual season works so well, and why going back to 2 seasons worries me.

I know it has been done before, but two seasons is a lot, and I’m talking about the pro dancers. Every season, celebrities on the show have discussed how intense training is. It yields incredible results each year, and it’s easy to forget how difficult a process each week actually is when we see the final execution during the live shows and a lot of that is on the pro dancers. I know they are all professionals, but even pros have their limits, right?

I'm curious as to whether or not execs will change things up for Dancing with the Stars by the time it returns for Season 35 amid the 2026 TV schedule. There's certainly a lot to consider but, if anything does happen, I just hope the contestants' well beings are considered as much as the popularity of the show. While you wait for new episodes stream them with a Disney+ subscription.

Another season of Dancing with the Stars has come to an end in the 2025 TV schedule, with fan-favorite Robert Irwin following up his sister's win by earning the Mirrorball Trophy with partner Witney Carson. It'll be a while before the next cast of DWTS is announced, but there's one candidate who already showed some interest: MCU star Simu Liu. He's put some thought into it as well, and fans are all-in to the point that they're already pitching a pro partner for him to dance with in the 2026 TV schedule or beyond.

What Simu Liu Said About Dancing With The Stars

Just two seasons after fellow MCU vet Xochitl Gomez won Season 32 of DWTS, Simu Liu has tossed his hat in the ring for the ABC show, now also available streaming with a Disney+ subscription. Speaking with EW on TikTok, the actor said:

For a celebrity competitor, a love of dance should be plenty to earn him a slot on a season of Dancing with the Stars! Simu Liu would certainly be a big get for the show, and he's already part of the Disney family thanks to playing Shang-Chi. He may not be able deliver big news to Shang-Chi fans who ask daily about a sequel, but he will reprise his role for Avengers: Doomsday. Maybe he could do a season of DWTS to promote the movie?

That may be wishful thinking, but Liu went on to prove that he's not bluffing about thinking about Dancing with the Stars:

If you ask me, somebody who can name-drop two of the male celebrity contestants on the most recent season is definitely somebody who is eyeing a spot himself on the cast if the stars align! He's not the only one who's on board with the idea, either.

Fans Have A Partner Picked Out Already

The comment section on the TikTok post is full of reactions from people who are well-enough versed in Dancing with the Stars to name the pro who he would be a great partner with: Britt Stewart, who joined the series in Season 29. She's never placed higher than fifth after dancing with Daniel Durant in Season 31, so maybe a future season could pair her with somebody who could make it all the way. Check out some of the comments (edited for clarity), including a shout out to casting director Deena Katz:

• "PUT HIM WITH BRITT NOW!" -Liz
• "Give him Britt, let’s get her that mirrorball!" -Caroline
• "I agree Simu and Britt!!!" -Rachel Ferrante
• "SIMU AND BRITT! " - sof
• "Pair him with Britt STAT!" -baciamimiele
• "DEENA KATZ, THIS IS BRITT'S NEXT PARTNER!" -Cassie A

The people have spoken! It's not every day that a star shows interest in joining DWTS and is immediately welcomed by fans, so Simu Liu is off to a good start... despite no guarantee that scheduling will allow him to participate in the foreseeable future. He did show off some dance moves earlier than year when he visited The Jennifer Hudson Show. Take a look at the TikTok:

Will the day ever come for Simu Liu to appear on Dancing with the Stars? Well, the days of seasons with 20+ episodes seem to have passed, so perhaps the actor could carve out some time to dance his way toward the Mirrorball Trophy more easily than if it was a bigger commitment. Fingers crossed, at least! For now, you can catch the latest episodes of DWTS streaming on Disney+, as well as Simu Liu's Shang-Chi and The Legend of the Ten Rings.

The latest season of Dancing with the Stars is over, and while fans are celebrating Robert Irwin's win, a lot of the season was focused on The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives star Whitney Leavitt. Her competition was a major focus of social media, and now she’s responding to the hate and not holding back.

Leavitt and her dance partner, Mark Ballas, appeared on the latest episode of the Call Her Daddy podcast to discuss their competition, which ended in the semifinals after they received the fewest votes from fans despite high scores from the judges. The vote is being connected to a significant amount of online hate that the pair received, including one vicious post that Ballas read on the show. He said…

The apparent online hate against Whitney Leavitt seemed to come from a variety of sources. Some were critical of the fact that she had previous dance experience, though, as Ballas said, that has been the case for many Dancing with the Stars contestants over the years. Others were critical of the fact that Leavitt fully admitted to only returning to the third season of The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives as part of a bid to make it on the competition series.

Being a reality TV star, Whitney Leaviutt admitted that online backlash wasn’t anything particularly new for her. However, the whole Dancing with the Stars experience was different because she was seeing the hate hit somebody else who hadn’t had to deal with it previously. She said…

While the Dancing with the Stars voting system is designed to have fans vote for their favorite contestants, there was some evidence of fans getting together online to vote for anybody but Leavitt and Ballas, essentially using a loophole to vote them off the show rather than simply trying to keep favorites on. Even fellow contestant Andy Ruchter thought the elimination was crazy. To those people, Leavitt did not hold back, saying simply….

It’s clear that the entire experience was rough for both Leavitt and Ballas, and one hopes that online hate like what Ballas received is entirely uncalled for. Hopefully, the Dancing with the Stars experience was, on balance, a positive for them, as it should be for everybody.

Well, Dancing with the Stars might have ended its run on the 2025 TV schedule, but the conversations about the show are very much still going on. One discussion in particular that has the internet’s attention is about those dating rumors surrounding the winner of the mirrorball trophy, Robert Irwin, and former champion, Xochitl Gomez. Well, now the discourse about them is continuing thanks to a couple of DWTS pros who legitimately asked the actress if she’s single.

Over the last few weeks, there’s been a lot of headlines about Dancing with the Stars. Andy Richter spoke about how hard it was to train for it. Corey Feldman didn’t hold back his thoughts about the drama he faced on the show. And the elimination of Whitney Leavitt was highly discussed. However, the biggest rumor has been about Robert Irwin and Xochitl Gomez, because some think they’re dating.

So, during the finale, while Irwin was competing by taking on a new dance, an instant dance and a freestyle, Gomez was at the show to cheer him and the other contestants on. She appeared on the DWTS TikTok livestream (via krunk008), too. That’s where she got asked if she was single, as pros Jan Ravnik and Brandon Armstrong got into the following conversation with her:

• Jan Ravnik: Our fans want to know something, nothing, nothing personal.
• Xochitl Gomez: Ok.
• Jan Ravnik: Nothing personal. Are you single?
• Xochitl Gomez: Yes, I am.
• Brandon Armstrong: Wow, that’s a crazy question.
• Jan Ravnik: She said yes, there it is, yes.

Well, there you have it, the two pros, and specifically Ravnik, asked her the question on many minds, and according to the Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness star, she is single.

However, despite her saying that, there were interactions between her and Irwin during the finale that got people talking.

People noted that since Gomez and Irwin danced together during the show’s 20th birthday episode (which you can stream with a Disney+ subscription) and Derek Hough noted their chemistry, there has been speculation about their relationship.

Then, during the finale, the actress was seen taking the Dancing with the Stars frontrunner flowers before the show, per TMZ. People also reported that Gomez was seen backstage with Irwin while he was practicing, and then, after he won the mirrorball trophy, they were spotted hugging.

Overall, Robert Irwin’s dating life has been a topic of conversation throughout the show’s run, with his partner Witney Carson even saying at one point that she’d go through DMs from girls for him. However, while all that was going on, he kept the specifics of his personal life private.

Since he and Gomez danced together, though, people have been wondering if there’s something more going on there.

At the very least, they’re probably good friends, considering all the moments they were seen together during the finale and the fact that they danced together a few weeks ago. And that might just be what it is, because according to Xochitl Gomez, she is single right now.

Dancing With The Stars Season 34 is over, and while it wasn't much of a surprise that Robert Irwin and Witney Carson ended up winning it all, it was a pretty great season. The season finale was a fantastic reminder of how great this cast was, as everyone pitched in to help make it a special night for viewers who stuck with it all season. Overall, I enjoyed it. However, there's one element I'd rather not see again when the series returns for the 2026 TV schedule.

That element I'm talking about is the Instant Dance Challenge, which I wrote about when it first popped up in the previous season. And I think it's safe to say we can do without it going forward.

Dancing With The Stars Brought Back The Instant Dance Challenge, And Exposed The Issues It Presents Once Again

The Instant Dance Challenge returned to Dancing With The Stars, and as I watched it with my Disney+ subscription, I couldn't help but shake my head. Once again, the audience was forced to endure a challenge in which contestants had to rehearse and perform a dance on the fly, only learning what they were doing minutes before.

The scores were almost all 10s from the judges, with Elaine Hendrix getting all 9s, but therein lies the problem. Even Carrie Ann Inaba, with all her criticisms, remarked that it's unfair to critique these contestants based on a dance performance when they've had next to no prep time, so why are we still doing it?

I Don't Think Anyone Benefits From Amateur Dancers Being Blindsided With Rushed Routines

If Dancing With The Stars' judges are giving softball scores for the performances, I'm not sure how the audience at home benefits from watching this challenge. I know less about dancing than anyone on the show, and by the time we've reached the finale, I want to see everyone performing to the best of their abilities. For example, I don't want to see Elaine Hendrix do a rushed quickstep; I'd rather see a polished and perfect routine that she's had time to prepare.

At its core, the Instant Dance Challenge feels like a test more for the pro dancers than the competitors, which isn't what DWTS is about. At the end of the day, the pros are there in service to the celebrities and often support other competitors and teams throughout the season. Dylan Efron already showed how hard it is to train a celebrity over the course of a week, so it's little surprise to me when a dance learned in five minutes looks sloppy.

Even when it's good, my only real reaction is a shrug. It still doesn't have the level of choreography or visuals of a prepared performance, so it's not as impressive as what we've seen in the season to that point.

What I would've preferred in its place is more time with the eliminated contestants, or maybe a Q&A between Julianne Hough and competitors about some drama that occurred during the season. I would've loved to see Corey Feldman with a mic after his comments ahead of his return, and I would have been interested to see what Whitney Leavitt had to say a week after her shocking elimination. I just think the show needs to go back to the drawing board and find something else to replace the Instant Dance Challenge.

Dancing With The Stars is finished for the year, and while it hasn't been officially renewed just yet, I would wager ABC will bring it back next fall, given the record-breaking votes that were cast. I can't wait to see who they get for a new season, and who will be the darlings we're all obsessed with this time next year. However, I really hope I don't have to watch another Instant Dance Challenge.

It's finally time for Dancing With The Stars to wrap on the 2025 TV schedule, and as we all wait to see which celebrity will be holding that Len Goodman Mirrorball Trophy in the end, eliminated celebrities are sharing their opinion on the season. This includes fan-favorite Andy Richter, who got honest about just how intense his training was behind the scenes.

After going to bat for Whitney Leavitt following her elimination, Richter spoke to People about what he was going through when the cameras weren't rolling. There was a lot of pain that he jokingly referred to as "borderline abuse," but after hearing what he went through, it's clear that a lot of pain was really involved:

I would've never guessed that Andy Richter was receiving injections in between all those funny social media videos, just so that he could stay in the competition. It makes all those comments about him being stiff on the dancefloor feel a little harsher in hindsight, considering how much work he had to do to get to the performance night.

Despite being pushed along with the audience vote each week and needing to ice his knees constantly, Andy Richter does miss the Dancing With The Stars experience. His knees might be feeling better, but he doesn't feel like his current workout is a match for a training session with his pro Emma Slater:

I guess it makes sense that Andy Richter would be ok with enduring the punishment to stay in the competition, as he remained adamant about staying in it throughout Dancing With The Stars. Fortunately, he'll get to return for finale night, and hopefully, he'll get his wish of having one more intense dance session with Emma Slater to prepare for whatever they're going to do in the finale.

Dancing With The Stars' Season 34 finale is going to be three hours of excitement, with the finalists all battling it out between performances from previously eliminated dancers. Heading into the finale, I would say that Robert Irwin remains the odds-on favorite to win, though I'm not ruling out TikTok influencer Alix Earle creeping by and stealing the win.

No disrespect to Dylan Efron, Elaine Hendrix, or Jordan Chiles, but based on what we've seen with the scores this season, I think those three are more locked in for a battle for third place than the top two slots. However, as last week's elimination and Richter's run proved, you never know what could happen on Dancing With The Stars.

Dancing With The Stars finale kicks off on ABC and Disney+ on Tuesday, November 25th at 8:00 p.m. ET. Tune in to see who ends up winning it all, and if we end up being shocked at who walked away with the Len Goodman Mirrorball Trophy.

It’s always entertaining to watch celebrities learn how to dance like a pro; however, there's always a lot of intrigue surrounding Dancing With The Stars off-camera, too. Last season saw supposed beef between host Julianne Hough and contestant Anna Delvey and a celebrity/pro duo partnering off the dance floor. Season 34, which is currently airing on the 2025 TV schedule, brought a slew of new gossip, and celebrity contestant Corey Feldman is not holding back about the drama he faced while on the show.

The Goonies actor recently made claims to the Daily Mail about the internal and external hate he received during his time on DWTS. Though Feldman was eliminated the first week, it seems he was on the show long enough to pick up on the culture off-camera, saying:

This might come as a surprise to newer fans of DWTS, given that everyone always looks excited to be there during rehearsal footage and in behind-the-scenes videos posted to social media. However, if you’ve been around for a while, you know that the relations among castmates and celebrities alike can get messy.

A lot of it comes from speculation amongst viewers. It’s no secret that DWTS includes intensive training and intimate dances, which inevitably lead to rumors. It’s part of the reason why Season 33’s winner, Joey Graziadei, asked for a partner who was already in a "successful and healthy relationship," to avoid the dating rumors that are so common with DWTS. Feldman confirmed that it was really tough to ignore the headlines once the media got hold of any rumors:

The Lost Boys actor in particular faced a lot of backlash in the media this season, seemingly coming from his partner, Jenna Johnson's brother-in-law and former DWTS pro Maksim "Maks" Chmerkovskiy. Right around the time rehearsals were supposed to start, Feldman suddenly missed nearly a week of practice, leaving producers and castmates wondering where he was. He was left with less than two weeks to get ready for the premiere.

Comments about the Gremlins actor’s poor mindset and work ethic towards his sister-in-law (Johnson) later came from Chmerkovskiy in an exclusive with Daily Mail, leaving Feldman apparently less than appreciative, and claiming his dance partner just brushed it off:

This isn’t the only instance of Chmerkovskiy stirring the pot from the sidelines this season. The former DWTS pro slammed newcomer pro Jan Ravnik for his lack of ballroom background, bluntly saying, “he has no business being a pro on DWTS.” While the Eras Tour dancer wasn’t as direct in his response as Feldman and Chmerkovskiy, he still responded to his critics.

As for Feldman, after the headlines impacted his reputation with DWTS audiences, Johnson and the Stand By Me actor set the record straight via social media following his elimination from the show. The two denied any bad blood, with Johnson admitting on Danielle With The Stars! that she knew Feldman had scheduling conflicts prior to missing practice.

Now, with only one episode left in the season, we'll have to wait and see if these comments get addressed by anyone else on the show. Meanwhile, to find out who will take home the mirrorball trophy, be sure to tune in live to the DWTS Season 34 finale this Tuesday, November 25 at 8 p.m. ET on ABC, or watch with a Disney+ subscription.

Mark Ballas may have officially lost out on his fourth shot at the Len Goodman Mirrorball Trophy following his and Whitney Leavitt’s elimination on Dancing With The Stars, but the pro dancer has another shot at reality TV bragging rights on the 2026 TV schedule. I’m talking about Ballas’ upcoming stint on The Traitors Season 4 with a host of celebrities from Survivor, The Real Housewives, Big Brother, and such. He just offered up a big tease about what to expect.

In an interview with Chicks In The Office (on TikTok), Mark Ballas was asked to reveal “anything” he could about his role in the coming season. Here’s what he said at first:

Wow – talk about a way to describe it! Ballas said that he and his wife love games and watching game shows together, and they became fast fans of The Traitors when they stumbled upon it. But when he received the call to actually join the show, his instant answer was a “no.” That is until his wife cut in and said he was “fucking going.” As he continued:

Now, that makes you wonder, doesn’t it? Mark Ballas is referring to something Alan Cumming said to E! News over the summer about the upcoming season. The show’s host said “about halfway through” the season “there is a scene in it that is the greatest moment in Traitors history.” Cumming also called it “utter carnage” along with calling it “just mad” and “brilliant”. Ballas also said this about the moment:

Oh, what could it be? A new cast member arriving? Some backstabbing? A twist in the game? Anything could happen, and now I need the premiere date to come sooner than ever.

It was revealed earlier this month that Season 4 is set to premiere its first episode on Thursday, January 8. He’s not the first pro from Dancing With The Stars to be on the show. Previously, Maksim Chmerkovskiy was on the second season of the U.S. version, but only lasted three episodes. Current DWTS finalist Dylan Efron was on the third season, and won the show as a Faithful alongside three other contestants. DWTS judge Derek Hough showed some FOMO about Ballas joining the show, so who knows what other pros could join future seasons?

Considering Ballas is a big fan of The Traitors, I definitely think he’ll do well on the new season, but until then I’ll be counting down the days!

I think it’s safe to say that if you were watching the latest episode of Dancing with the Stars on the 2025 TV schedule, you were probably shocked when Whitney Leavitt and her partner Mark Ballas got eliminated. They were at the top of the leaderboard for the majority of the season, so to be sent home during the semifinals was surprising. Now, The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives star has shared her thoughts on the matter, and after she posted her tearful video, the cast showed up to support her in the comments.

Whitney Leavitt Reflected On Her Dancing With The Stars Experience Through Tears

A few days after her elimination, Whitney Leavitt posted a video on both TikTok and Instagram where she reflected on her experience. While pros stick around and work after they’re eliminated, the stars are truly sent home. And while they may sit in the audience in later episodes, they don’t work on the show after they’re eliminated. That was a jarring change for Leavitt, as she explained:

She went on to say that not going to the studio this week has felt “weird” and it’s making her “sad.” She also reflected on the genuine friendships she developed while working on the show. The part where she specifically spoke about her partnership with Mark Ballas led to the most tears, as you can see below:

Overall, this statement from Whitney Leavitt was candid, and while she was clearly sad about the elimination, it’s also obvious that this experience meant the world to her in a very positive way. That was highlighted by how many people associated with Dancing with the Stars showed up in her comments to support her, too.

The Current Dancing With The Stars Cast And More Showed Their Love For Whitney Leavitt In The Comments

Along with Andy Richter not holding back about Leavitt’s elimination – he said it was “absolutely insane” – a lot of the DWTS cast showed up to support the reality star. From some of this season's frontrunners, like Alix Earle, to pros to other eliminated contestants, many shared their love and support in the comments of her posts on both TikTok and Instagram:

• Alix Earle: Love you 💗 the sweetest person ever and getting to know you was amazing you should be so proud of yourself
• Scott Hoying: you are SUCH a star!!!! love you!!!
• Witney Carson: Love you 😭 you’re an absolute star
• Danielle Fishel: This is just the beginning!! I know the sadness is soooo real - I've been there - and it means we loved HARD!!

Along with the cast of DWTS, Leavitt’s husband, Conner, commented too. His words emphasize the support shown above by the folks his wife met while working on this show:

Adding to all of that, a lot of people who either have ties to Dancing with the Stars or are simply fans of The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives cast member showed love for her and her run on the dance competition. From a former pro to stars from previous seasons, here are some of the supportive comments:

• Hannah Brown: Loved watching you dance!! Rooting for you in whatever is next! 🫶
• Lindsay Arnold: You're amazing Whit!! You were a STAR every single week and should be so proud of yourself!!! 👏👏👏🫶🏻🫶🏻🫶🏻
• Brooks Nader: It’s the worst!! But the experience is with you forever❤️
• Jenn Tran: LOVE YOU I’m in awe of your grace and so proud of you 🥰❤❤❤

The work stars put in on DWTS is intense, and for months, they see the same people every day. So, to have it immediately end, especially when you are so close to the finish line, is objectively tough. Therefore, Whitney Leavitt’s emotional reaction makes a lot of sense. The support does too.

Now, to see how this season of Dancing with the Stars ends, you can watch the finale next Tuesday at 8 p.m. ET on ABC or with a Disney+ subscription.