Shaking things up! “Dancing with the Stars” is moving to Disney+ after being renewed for two more seasons.
In the fall of 2022, the dance competition will have a new home, Disney+ announced in a press release on Friday, April 8.
“The wide appeal of the show, as well as the incredible popularity of Disney—themed competition nights, make Disney+ the perfect home for Dancing with the Stars while continuing to expand our demographic reach,” said Kareem Daniel, chairman of Disney Media and Entertainment Distribution. statement on Friday.
DWTS premiered on ABC in 2005, and after 30 seasons on the network, it returns in seasons 31 and 32, but exclusively for Disney+ in the US and Canada. With the upcoming fall premiere, DWTS will be the first live-action series to debut on the streaming service.
Walt Disney Entertainment chairman Dana Walden assured viewers that DWTS’ move to Disney+ will allow ABC to continue hosting more scripted series over the next television season.
“As we significantly expand our unscripted programming on ABC, this is a great opportunity to introduce this show to a whole new generation of fans on Disney+,” Walden said in a press release, noting that DWTS has brought “so much joy to millions of viewers” over its 16 years on the network.
Although the competition series will no longer be broadcast on cable, the streaming service has confirmed that longtime ABC executive and now Walt Disney Television executive Robert Mills will continue to oversee the program.
Disney+ has not yet announced which professionals will return to the show after DWTS veteran Val Chmerkovskiy previously hinted that the 30th season could be his last.
“I love the show. I love being on it. I am so grateful for this opportunity. Is this my last season? Maybe,” the 36-year-old native of Ukraine told Entertainment Tonight in November 2021. — I do not regret my stay in the show. I don’t regret the season.”
The last time a professional dancer was partnered with Olivia Jade Giannulli, taking eighth place. Chmerkovskiy’s possible departure came almost two years after DWTS executives surprised viewers by replacing original host Tom Bergeron and his longtime co-host Erin Andrews with Tyra Banks in July 2020.
“I’ve been a DWTS fan since the beginning,” Banks, 48, said at the time. “Fun mixed with pure emotions, watching celebrities step outside their comfort zone, incendiary dance performances. He always carried me back to the days when I lifted him up 10 steps on the podium. Tom has prepared a powerful stage, and I’m excited to continue the legacy and put on the hats of executive producer and host.”
Since then, the former host of the show “American Top Model” has directed the 29th and 30th seasons of the show.
