2 weeks ago
Dancing pinch nan Stars whitethorn beryllium a reality title staple today, but that wasn’t ever nan case, arsenic co-host Julianne Hough and judge Bruno Tonioli recall.
In a caller question and reply pinch People astatine nan 2026 Disney Upfront, Hough and Tonioli reflected connected nan pervasive uncertainty astir whether nan format would work.
“I mean, this show sewage turned down truthful galore times astatine nan beginning, because group were like, ‘A ballroom dancing show? Like, what? Is that really a thing?'” Hough recounted to nan publication.
Tonioli, an inaugural judge alongside Carrie Ann Inaba (who remains connected nan panel) and nan precocious Len Goodman, noted of nan early days, which came a twelvemonth aft nan British original, Strictly Come Dancing, developed prior: “It was May 2005, and astatine nan clip … Andrea Wong was moving ABC, and Bob Iger was moving location arsenic well, and I cognize nan story. It is simply a agelong story. They told maine nan story. And everybody was saying, ‘This is ne'er gonna work. They’re crazy.'”
It was Wong who yet gave nan greenlight, Tonioli said, and soon afterward, nan ballroom dancing title programme became a hit.
“Next year, we were up location with American Idol — I could not judge it,” Tonioli recalled.
The duo credited nan show’s long-lasting fame to its “beating heart.”
“To spot that it’s been astir — not only conscionable survived 20 years, but is now thriving much than it ever has — it conscionable goes to show that erstwhile you enactment successful authenticity and integrity of what this show is — which is craftsmanship, conscionable rooting for group to turn and succeed, and spell connected nan travel of transformation, and support that family acquisition — that’s timeless,” Hough concluded.
And soon, nan bequest will expand: The show has been unsurprisingly renewed for a 35th season, and a forthcoming spinoff bid is successful nan works, titled Dancing pinch nan Stars: The Next Pro and to beryllium hosted by Season 34 champ Robert Irwin. The offshoot involves nan hunt for nan franchise’s adjacent pro dancer, arsenic 12 up-and-coming competitors move into 1 location and look disconnected successful a grueling audition process for a coveted Season 35 slot.
As antecedently reported by Deadline, DWTS exploded successful fame past year, raking successful its largest assemblage successful years driven by liking from younger viewers. In November, Season 34 posted the show’s highest-rated finale successful astir a decade.
Of nan spinoff, Hough told People it’s thrilling to spot nan adjacent procreation of dancers get nan chance to “be seen and visible” for their trade astatine “the highest level.”
“To spot nan level of talent, to spot nan dedication and nan execution, and past to fto them get their flowers and beryllium a portion of nan biggest creation show successful nan world,” she said.
