Just one season after moving from its longtime home on ABC to Disney+, Dancing with the Stars is back on the move, returning to the network that it aired for thirty seasons. It will also stream live on Disney+ at the same time as its ABC airing. The Disney+ move was seen as a shock when it was first announced, as the series was one of ABC's highest-rated in the 2021-22 TV season. Its timeslot replacement, Bachelor in Paradise, performed well in the slot, but was unable to match Dancing's performance in the slot the season prior. The return to ABC may be, at least in part, thanks to the just-announced WGA strike, which may impact production of scripted programming and leave the networks without any scripted programs to air in the fall. Dancing, a longtime broadcast staple, should help ABC fill its fall lineup and provide them with a reliable ratings performer during a time where many questions loom about the future of broadcast. The upcoming season of Dancing with the Stars will see the return of host Alfonso Ribeiro, joined by new host Julianne Hough, replacing the retiring Tyra Banks. Judges Carrie Ann Inaba, Derek Hough and Bruno Tonioli are also expected to return, with no replacement announced as of yet for the late Len Goodman, who retired at the end of the show's sole Disney+ season.
What do you think of this news? Are you surprised to see Dancing with the Stars return to broadcast so quickly? Let us know in the comments!
