Dancing With the Stars Finds New Home on Disney+
After 16 years and 30 fantastic seasons, Dancing With the Stars is waltzing its way to a new platform. It was recently announced that the ballroom dance competition series would return in the fall on Disney+.
The shocking switch was made for a number of reasons, all pointing to finances and ratings. According to Deadline, the series dropped ratings by 18% this season, with a total of 6 million viewers compared to the 7.3 million viewers in season 29. The network no longer saw the series as profitable, thus the departure. While the series will air on Disney+, Monday Night Football will take the coveted Monday 8-10 PM time slot, which DWTS has occupied since the show’s premiere in 2005.
Now, ABC and Disney+ hope that the viewers will turn into additional subscribers as well as target a younger demographic to ensure the show lives on for years to come. According to an interview with Deadline, Dana Walden, the Chairman of Entertainment at Walt Disney Television, stated, “Dancing with the Stars has been a beloved staple on ABC for 30 seasons and brought so much joy to millions of viewers… As we’re significantly expanding our unscripted slate at ABC, this is a great opportunity to introduce this show to a whole new generation of fans on Disney+.”
The first concern that ran through fans’ minds was if the series would remain live. As shows like So You Think You Can Dance shifted their format from live to pre-taped to cut costs, viewers thought DWTS would have the same fate but don’t sweat it because the series will remain live. In fact, this move makes DWTS the first live show on the platform and the first live-streamed reality show in the U.S.
More importantly, fans won’t have to worry about the show getting picked up after season 31 as the series received a 2-year pickup guaranteeing season 32.
There is now much discussion regarding the show’s format from who will take Andrew Llinares’s place as the executive producer, will Tyra Banks remain as the host, and what will the pro lineup look like? Furthermore, this shift is a gamechanger for determining which celebrities will take the floor this season.
Due to the show’s spot on ABC, almost every season featured a former contestant from the Bachelor franchise. Fans hope to see younger contestants and expect to see more Disney stars, like those featured in the High School Musical reboot.
There is much to be answered regarding this upcoming season, so sit tight because we’re in for some major changes. Season 31 of Dancing With the Stars is scheduled to premiere this fall on Disney+.
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