- Dancing With the Stars season 32 premieres on Sept. 26.
- The premiere day might be delayed due to the WGA strike.
- Season 32 will honor beloved judge Len Goodman.
It’s almost time to get back to the ballroom, but not so fast! Dancing With the Stars will return for season 32 on ABC and Disney+ this fall. Season 32 has a brand-new cast and a new co-host. With its latest batch of celebs, this season is going to be super-charging our fall TV viewing experience. However, the wait for season 32 might be extended amid the scabbing controversy.
In a surprising move, ABC announced the first cast member all the way back in July 2023. During The Bachelorette season 20 finale, the second official cast member was revealed. Now we have the full cast to obsess over. Get those phones ready to vote! From a possible premiere date delay to the new DWTS pro, here are all the latest updates about season 32.
Is Dancing with the Stars Still Returning Amid the Strikes?
Dancing with the Stars may delay the season 32 premiere date in the wake of striking writers picketing the show’s rehearsals, according to The Hollywood Reporter. ABC has not made an official announcement yet regarding a premiere date push.
Veep star Matt Walsh revealed in a statement that he would be pausing his involvement with the show “until an agreement is made with the [Writers Guild of America]. I was excited to join the show and did so under the impression that it was not a WGA show and fell under a different agreement. This morning when I was informed by my union, the WGA, that it is considered struck work I walked out of my rehearsal. I have been and will always stand with my union members of the WGA, SAG and DGA.”
Initially, Dancing with the Stars was moving forward with the original September 26 premiere date. According to Variety, the show was going to be working “in compliance” with the SAG-AFTRA rules, and a “key focus” was going to not “put talent in a tough spot.” DWTS employs a crew of 500 people and has one WGA writer on stage. The sole WGA writer is expected to be re-hired as soon as the strike ends.
Dancing with the Stars Season 32 Premiere Date
Dancing With the Stars season 32 will premiere on Tuesday, September 26. The episode will be an expanded premiere that will air from 8 p.m. to 10:31 p.m. ET. The show is moving away from its typical Monday night timeslot and will shift to Tuesdays this fall.
On August 21, ABC released the key art for season 32 and an exciting promo featuring co-hosts Julianne Hough and Alfonso Ribeiro. Julianne and Alfonso danced together in the teaser and showed they will be one formidable co-hosting team. “It’s a new spin on Dancing with the Stars!” the video’s caption read.
Given the ongoing writers’ strike, ABC has assembled a fall lineup that consists of all unscripted shows. Dancing With the Stars season 32 is a staple of their lineup, along with Bachelor In Paradise, The Golden Bachelor, and more.
Dancing With The Stars Season 32 Cast
The full cast for Dancing With the Stars season 32 was revealed on Good Morning America on Sept. 13. Prior to the official reveal, ABC revealed three of the celebrity contestants: Jamie Lynn Spears, The Bachelorette season 20 star Charity Lawson and Vanderpump Rules fave Ariana Madix. See the full list below:
Supermodel Tyson Beckford with partner Jenna Johnson
Marvel star Xochitl Gomez with partner Val Chmerkovskiy
TV and film star Alyson Hannigan with partner Sasha Farber
Social media and reality TV star Harry Jowsey with partner Rylee Arnold
The Bachelorette’s Charity Lawson with partner Artem Chigvintsev
Vanderpump Rules star Ariana Madix with partner Pasha Pashkov
GRAMMY-winning singer Jason Mraz with partner Daniella Karagach
NFL All-Star Adrian Peterson with partner Britt Stewart
Singer and social media star Lele Pons with partner Brandon Armstrong
Oscar-winning actress Mira Sorvino with partner Gleb Savchenko
Actress Jamie Lynn Spears with partner Alan Bersten
Real estate mogul and TV star Mauricio Umansky with partner Emma Slater
Comedian and actor Matt Walsh with partner Koko Iwasaki
The Brady Bunch actor Barry Williams with partner Peta Murgatroyd
Charity was announced as a season 32 contestant during The Bachelorette season 20 finale, which aired on August 21. She joins a long line of Bachelorettes who have competed on Dancing With the Stars, including Trista Sutter, Hannah Brown, Kaitlyn Bristowe, and Gabby Windey. Both Hannah and Kaitlyn took home the mirrorball trophy during their seasons!
The news about Ariana joining the show was announced on July 7 during Good Morning America. Ariana joined judge Derek Hough in a special video that revealed she was joining season 32. “Say goodbye to the drama and hello to the dance floor,” Derek said. Her partner was not revealed.
There's just something about her!#PumpRules star Ariana Madix is heading to @officialdwts this fall and we can't wait to see her moves on the dance floor! #DWTShttps://t.co/ecgELRW4LC pic.twitter.com/l8CNyid9eY
— Good Morning America (@GMA) July 7, 2023
Back in April 2023, Page Six reported that Ariana was in talks to join the cast of season 32. “ABC is in late-stage conversations with [Madix] to be a contestant to join DWTS this fall,” the source said. Ariana became a household name after the Vanderpump Rules drama exploded when Tom Sandoval’s affair with Raquel Leviss.
Following the news of her joining the cast, Tom sent love to his ex. “I will be voting for her. I think she’s going to do really well,” he told Extra. “She’s got a lot of actual ability when it comes to dancing. She’s been wanting to be on the show for a long time. I’m super stoked for her. I hope she does really well. I think she will.”
How Will DWTS Season 32 Honor Len Goodman?
Dancing with the Stars season 32 will mark the first season since Len Goodman’s death. The beloved DWTS judge passed away in April 2023 after a battle with bone cancer. Len retired at the end of season 31.
In honor of Len, the mirrorball trophy has been renamed. “The Len Goodman Mirrorball Trophy will now be lifted on Dancing with the Stars like the Vince Lombardi trophy is lifted at the Super Bowl,” executive producer Conrad Green told USA Today. “We wanted to make Len a permanent part of this show, to always remind people the importance he’s had to Dancing with the Stars and how much he meant to all of us.”
Who is Hosting Dancing with the Stars Season 32?
There’s been a bit of a host shakeup ahead of season 32. Tyra Banks will not be returning as a host. The former supermodel confirmed her exit in March 2023.
“So I’m really focused on business, like crazy, crazy, crazy focused on business. SMiZE & Dream is global, not just in UAE, but in many other countries that you will see. So I feel it’s time for me to really focus on my business and entrepreneurship and also producing more TV but behind the scenes… I think it’s time to graduate from the dance floor to the stock market floor,” she told TMZ.
Tyra joined the show as the host in 2019. Tom Bergeron had hosted DWTS up until that point.
The new co-hosts for Dancing With the Stars season 32 are Julianne Hough and Alfonso Ribeiro. Julianne was officially announced as the new co-host shortly after Tyra revealed she was leaving.
“It is such an honor to be rejoining Dancing with the Stars as co-host. The show holds such a special place in my heart from the many years and different roles I have had the privilege of being a part of,” Julianne told Variety. “The incredible team that brings the ballroom to life every night has been my family for the past 17 years. I am so excited to reunite with Alfonso, Carrie Ann, Bruno, Derek, the unbelievably talented pros, and the amazing cast on the dance floor. The energy is magnetic every time you step foot in to the ballroom and I can’t wait to feel it again — and of course to share it all with the absolute best and most loyal fans — for another exciting season.”
Julianne started out on Dancing With the Stars as a pro dancer. She won seasons 4 and 5. She served as a judge for seasons 19 through 21, as well as seasons 23 and 24. Alfonso won season 19 and joined as a co-host in season 31.
Which Judges are Coming Back for Season 32?
When Julianne was confirmed as a new co-host, DWTS fans learned that Carrie Ann Inaba, Bruno Tonioli, and Derek Hough would be returning as judges for season 32. The judges’ panel will only feature 3 judges in the new season.
In the season 31 finale, longtime head judge Len Goodman announced that he was retiring. Just 5 months later, the beloved ballroom judge died. He passed away at the age of 78 due to bone cancer.
What Pros Are Returning For Dancing With The Stars Season 32?
The returning pros for season 32 include Jenna Johnson, Val Chmerkovskiy, Peta Murgatroyd, Alan Bersten, Pasha Pashkov, Daniella Karagach, Koko Iwasaki, Britt Stewart, Brandon Armstrong, Emma Slater, Sasha Farber, and Gleb Savchenko.
The new pro for season 32 is Rylee Arnold, the little sister of DWTS vet Lindsay Arnold. HollywoodLife spoke EXCLUSIVELY with Rylee about her first season as a DWTS pro. “I feel like I’ve prepared for this moment my entire life,” she said. “This has been a dream since I was 8 years old. I feel more than ready to go out and dance. I’m just so excited.”
Prior to the cast reveal, fan-favorite pros announced they would not be returning. Witney Carson revealed via TikTok on August 28 that she would not be a pro in season 32. “We definitely thought and prayed about it for a while, but we will not be doing Dancing With the Stars this season,” she said. “And as much as that pains me to say, I just feel very at peace with it.”
She added, “You guys know that family is the most important thing to me, and we just really felt that moving our entire family across the country right now was not for us.” Witney recently gave birth to her second child in May 2023 and made the move to Florida.
@witneycarsonofficial Love you guys 💔 #dwts #witneycarson #dancingwiththestars
While her sister will be on the show, Lindsay is not returning for season 32. “Last season when I kind of announced that I wasn’t doing [the show], it wasn’t like I retired or like I said, ‘I’m done forever. I’ll never ever consider doing the show again,’ because I will,” the dancer said in a TikTok video she posted on August 24. “I’ve really been considering the option and seeing if it’s something we can fit into our life … and ultimately this season is not gonna work out for me and my family.”
@lindsarnold Love you guys 🫶 left a little teaser for you at the end 😉 #grwmchat #grwmchats #dwts #dwtspro @meritbeauty @Typology Paris @skinbetter science
Similar to Witney, Lindsay also became a mom for the second time this year. The pro dancer, who skipped season 31, welcomed her second child, June, in May 2023.
Ahead of the season 31 finale, longtime pro dancer Cheryl Burke announced that she was leaving after 26 seasons. “This has been one of the absolute hardest decisions of my life & I am also confident that it is the right one,” she wrote on Instagram. “Though there aren’t enough words to express my deep gratitude & love to my entire DWTS family I will end with this: thank you for being my rock & foundation for close to two decades during the difficult moments & most of all, thank you for giving ballroom dancing the credit & attention it deserves.”
Months after winning season 31 with Charli D’Amelio, Mark Ballas announced that he was also retiring. “I’ve done 20 seasons now,” he said on the Dancing With the Stars Live 2023 tour, according to Deadline. “I started this journey when I was 21, 22 and honestly being able to dance and perform for you fans — you guys are the best fans.”
He continued, “My mom is here tonight. My dad is here tonight. My wife is here tonight. My wife’s mom and dad are here tonight. I just want to finish by saying, this will be the last time you see me dance in this capacity. I’m coming to a close tonight. This is going to be my last dance.”
Several other DWTS pros have recently welcomed babies, so it’s unclear whether they’ll return for season 32. Val Chmerkovskiy and Jenna Johnson welcomed their first child in January 2023. Peta Murgatroyd gave birth to her second child with hubby Maks in June 2023. Season 30 champion Daniella Karagach and DWTS pro Pasha Pashkov welcomed their first baby in May 2023.
How to Watch DWTS Season 32
Dancing With the Stars season 32 will become the first series to simulcast live on ABC and Disney+. Episodes will be available the next day on Hulu.
Season 31 was a game-changer as Dancing With the Stars moved from its longtime Monday night slot on ABC and aired exclusively on Disney+. ABC is making sure season 32 reaches as many viewers as possible by airing on both ABC and Disney+ at the same time.
Carrie Ann Inaba addressed airing on both ABC and Disney+ in a May 2022 Instagram post. “Been thinking about @dancingwiththestars And I’m so pleased that we are back on @abcnetwork along with @disneyplus. This allows for even more people to have access to our show and it allows the people who have been watch us from the beginning to continue watching us again in the fall,” she wrote