"Dancing with the Stars" Returns Live to ABC with New Competitors and Changes for Season 32
ABC's Dancing with the Stars has revealed the cast competing in season 32, which premieres on September 26. Joining the previously announced contestants, which included actress Jamie Lynn Spears (paired with pro Alan Bersten), Ariana Madix (Vanderpump Rules paired with pro Pasha Pashkov), and Charity Lawson (The Bachelorette paired with pro Artem Chigvintsev), also competing for the coveted mirror ball trophy (along with their pro partners) are:
• Tyson Beckford (Supermodel) with partner Jenna Johnson
• Xochitl Gomez (Marvel star) with partner Val Chmerkovskiy
• Alyson Hannigan (TV/film star) with partner Sasha Farber
• Harry Jowsey (Social media/reality TV star) with partner Rylee Arnold
• Jason Mraz (GRAMMY®-winning singer) with partner Daniella Karagach
• Adrian Peterson (NFL All-Star) with partner Britt Stewart
• Lele Pons (Singer/social media star) with partner Brandon Armstrong
• Mira Sorvino (Oscar®-winning actress) with partner Gleb Savchenko
• Mauricio Umansky (Real estate mogul/TV star) with partner Emma Slater
• Matt Walsh (Comedian/actor) with partner Koko Iwasaki
• Barry Williams (The Brady Bunch actor/singer) with partner Peta Murgatroyd
The show will also debut a few changes this season, starting with a hosting duo. Former dance pro (and DWTS champ) Julianne Hough, together with season 19 champ Alfonso Ribeiro will tag team the hosting duties previously performed by former host Tyra Banks, who left the show in March. It marks Hough's hosting debut, while Ribeiro resumes the duties that he began in season 31. Given both have prior experience competing on the dance floor, interesting commentaries are guaranteed. With the passing of head judge Len Goodman in April, the judges panel returns to three, and will consist of long-time judges Carrie Ann Inaba and Bruno Tonioli, along with former pro-dancer (and six-time mirror ball champ) Derek Hough, who joined the judging panel in season 29.
Last season, DWTS made a major programming change when it was moved to Disney+, marking the first time the show hadn't aired on ABC since debuting in 2005, and fans weren't too happy. It also became the first live-streamed show to be aired on the streamer. This season the show returns live to ABC on Tuesdays, simultaneously airing live on Disney+, then will be available to stream on Hulu the next day. It also marks the first time the show has had a Tuesday programming slot since eliminating the second-night results show in 2013.
Season 32 of DWTS kicks off Tuesday, September 26, starting with an expanded premiere which will be followed by a Dancing with the Stars cast episode of Celebrity Family Feud.
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Steve Gidlow
Steve Gidlow, a long-time columnist for MediaVillage ("Behind the Scenes in Hollywood"), has written about television and pop culture since 1994, beginning in Australia. Since moving to Hollywood in 1997, Steve has focused on celebrity interv…
