After 30 seasons on ABC, reality dance competition Dancing With The Stars is in for some shakeups come Season 31 this Fall. The series brought audiences renowned dancers like Derek Hough, Maks Chmerkovskiy and Cheryl Burke, while also providing season after season of beloved celebrities vying for a spot on the dance floor.
Season 31 of Dancing With The Stars is already full of the unexpected, including a network switch and a brand new host – plus, which pro dancers may not be returning to the ballroom and which celebrities are pegged to throw on their dancing shoes this year.
Watch Season 31 Of 'Dancing With The Stars' On Disney+
Since 2005, Dancing With The Stars has aired on ABC as the U.S. version of the UK's Strictly Come Dancing. The reality show spawned a spin-off in 2018, Dancing with the Stars: Juniors, as well as several national tours. After 16 years, DWTS is set to move to a different platform. The Walt Disney Company's magical streaming service Disney+ is the new home for the reality series, making Dancing With The Stars the first show to ever be broadcast live on a streaming service.
Alfonso Ribeiro Joins As A New Co-Host
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While Tom Bergeron is the best-known host of Dancing With The Stars, the show experienced some controversy in Season 29 when he was abruptly fired and replaced by model Tyra Banks – a switch-up that did not sit well with the dedicated viewers.
After two seasons with Banks as sole host, Season 31 will feature a co-host already beloved by both the show and its fans. Alfonso Ribeiro, Fresh Prince of Bel-Air star and Season 19 winner, will be handed a mic to co-host alongside Banks. This marks the third time a former contestant has joined the show as a host, the first being Season 7 contestant Brooke Burke co-hosting alongside Bergeron from Season 10 through 17, and Season 10 contestant Erin Andrews co-hosting from Season 18 through 28.
Disney Overload
Since Season 18, DWTS has hosted an episode referred to as "Disney Night" – a magical, themed night of competition where couples would dance to Disney songs and dress as Disney characters while usually promoting Disney's latest releases. With Dancing With The Stars now airing solely on Disney+, fans can expect Disney overload this upcoming season. It may not be officially "Disney Night" every night, but a lot more magic may be felt due to the switch.
Some Judges Never Change
When Dancing With The Stars made its U.S. debut, it carried over two Strictly Come Dancing judges – Len Goodman and Bruno Tonioli – while adding In Living Color star Carrie Ann Inaba. Although the judges' table has seen some shakeups over the years – once including former pros Maks Chmerkovskiy and Julianne Hough, as well as numerous guest judges – they've now settled on an enjoyable panel. Among all the changes in Season 31, one thing that's not changing are the judges. Goodman, Tonioli, Inaba and former pro Derek Hough are all returning to hand out those 10s for another season.
Several Pros Are Returning
It's typical for DWTS' pro dancers to phase out in time, adding in fresh faces from the troupe every few seasons. In Season 30, the pros consisted of several real-life couples, including dancer-turned-actor Val Chmerkovskiy and Jenna Johnson, Daniella Karagach and Pasha Pashkov, and Sasha Farber and Emma Slater.
After an exciting year, some Dancing With The Stars pros may not make a return. Season 30 runner-up Johnson isn't expected to return after announcing she's pregnant with her first child with Chmerkovskiy. Sharna Burgess gave birth to her first child in June 2022, but revealed to Us Weekly she would love to return for Season 31.
Which Celebrities Are Joining The Dance Floor?
Over the years, celebrity contestants on Dancing With The Stars have included everyone from big-time actors and popular musicians to soap opera stars and people in politics. While the Season 31 cast of celebs isn't set to be announced until September 8, 2022 on Good Morning America (per DWTS tradition), fans are riddled with guesses on who will be hitting the dance floor.
Airing exclusively on Disney+, it seems only fitting the cast will feature some Disney stars, whether it be from films, Disney Channel, or even some Disney+ originals. Heavy.com reports that hopeful celebs include Robert Irwin (brother of Season 21 winner Bindi Irwin) and Olympian Jordan Chiles.
'Dancing With The Stars' Has Already Been Renewed For Another Season
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Dancing With The Stars' ratings have teetered over the years, falling from 13 million viewers in Season 1 to only 5 million viewers come Season 30. Thanks to the move to Disney+, however, the show's fate isn't so uncertain. Along with a Disney+ debut announcement came the news that DWTS was not only airing Season 31 on the streaming service, but was already renewed for a Season 32, set to premiere in 2023 on Disney+.
Mark Down That September 19th Premiere Date
Beginning in 2006, Dancing With The Stars would air two seasons a year: one in the Winter, typically premiering in March, and one in the Fall, typically premiering in September. Starting in 2019, the show cut down to one Season a year. In typical DWTS fashion, Season 31 is set to premiere on September 19, 2022 on Disney+, with a slew of changes, but a lot of familiar faces and dance steps to keep audiences coming back for more.