Despite Guillermo Rodriguez getting the lowest scores on Dancing with the Stars Season 35, he managed to stay around for quite a while. He and his partner Witney Carson made it to Super Bowl Night on the 2026 TV schedule, which was impressive. However, it sadly meant that the TV personality went home one week before Dedication Night. If he had made it that far, he would have dedicated his dance to his longtime co-worker and pal, Jimmy Kimmel. Now, he’s revealed some details about that dance (and I really wish we could have seen it).

In the week following Guillermo’s elimination from DWTS, he went on The Viall Files to speak about his experience on the show. He also discussed his love for Jimmy Kimmel, calling the talk show host “the best.” The host’s sidekick also explained that if he had made it to Dedication Night, he would have wanted to pay tribute to Kimmel by dancing to a song by one of his favorite musicians:

Well, this is such a fantastic idea! And I’d love to see it. Not only would it have been a sweet song for Guillermo to dance to in honor of Jimmy Kimmel, but it’d also be fitting for the time of year. I note that because the song is famously used in Back to the Future, and Christopher Lloyd celebrated his 88th birthday on October 22 with a reference to both the movie and the Huey Lewis and the News song. So, all around, this would have been such a fun number to see on Dedication Night, which happened to air on October 20.

And who knows? Maybe we could still see it. Nick Viall, who hosts the podcast and was previously on Dancing with the Stars, told Guillermo he should still do the dance, just on an episode of Jimmy Kimmel Live. Listen, Whitney Leavitt did her freestyle on Call Her Daddy last year because she was eliminated before she could do it on DWTS. I think Guillermo could easily do the same thing on Kimmel’s show. Maybe he even could get Huey Lewis and the News to do a cameo, as Viall explained. It would seem Kimmel’s sidekick likes the idea, as he said:

Well, they only have so much time to do this if they want to perform the number before Witney Carson gives birth and the show ends. However, I still think it’s possible. It sounds like a great idea, and one Kimmel would appreciate. Clearly, the host has a whole lotta love for Guillermo and was supportive of his DWTS journey, so I feel like he’d like something like this.

Guillermo went on to say that he felt bad when he got eliminated. However, Kimmel was in good spirits, as the man who has been his sidekick for over two decades recalled:

That is so sweet, and it makes me want to see this “Power of Love” dance even more! And maybe it will happen on Jimmy Kimmel Live someday.

For now, though, you can stay up to date on Dancing with the Stars by making sure you watch Disney Night on Monday at 8 p.m. ET on ABC or with a Disney+ subscription.

The last couple of weeks, Dancing with the Stars has been making headlines for lifts, and this week things got spooky with low scores. However, none of that has really upset me. Now, something has, though. As we approach Disney Night on the 2026 TV schedule, the lineup of songs the cast will dance to has been revealed, and despite my excitement for this episode, there’s one omission I’m mad about.

The Songs For Disney Night Have Been Revealed

Before we get to what was left out, you need to know what the couples will be dancing to this week. Admittedly, it’s a stacked lineup of iconic Disney songs and tracks from Broadway musicals, seeing as the episode is specifically themed around “the magic of Disney on Broadway.” Take a look (via EW):

• Amber Glenn and Pasha Pashkov are doing a Quickstep to “A Star Is Born” from Hercules
• Connor Wood and Rylee Arnold are doing a Waltz to “I See the Light” from Tangled.
• Ezra Frech and Daniella Karagach are doing a Samba to “Under the Sea” from The Little Mermaid.
• Harry Shum Jr. and Jenna Johnson are doing a jazz routine to “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious” from Mary Poppins.
• Jenna Dewan and Val Chmerkovskiy are doing a Quickstep to “Be Our Guest” from Beauty and the Beast.
• Maura Higgins and Mark Ballas are doing a Jive to “You Can Fly! You Can Fly! You Can Fly!” from Peter Pan
• Tatyana Ali and Jan Ravnik are doing a contemporary routine to “Easy as Life” from Aida.
• Julia Stiles and Ezra Sosa are doing a Paso doble to “Satisfied” from Hamilton.

Along with all those, the team dances will be done to “Zoo” from Zootopia 2 and “We’re All in This Together” from High School Musical.

That's awesome; that's great. I can't wait to watch this. However, I'm livid about a classic Disney Broadway production that was left out.

I’m Actually Upset About One Show That Got Left Out

When I think of Disney on Broadway, and specifically shows that are not tied to an animated movie, the first production that comes to mind is Newsies. I used to watch the proshot of the stage show that starred Jeremy Jordan with a Disney+ subscription all the time. And you can still watch it, as well as Disney’s great movie from the ‘90s (that got bad reviews), in the same place. By all accounts, this is a Disney production, and it’s also classic Broadway. Heck, it even won three Tonys, one of which was for Best Choreography.

Plus, Newsies is full of legendary numbers and dances. “Seize the Day” is an iconic anthem. “Santa Fe” is a beautiful ballad, and “King of New York” is such a fun tap number. All of these would make for great songs to dance to on DWTS, too. Seriously, I can picture it all so clearly.

So, yeah, I’m upset that it wasn’t included in the lineup for this year’s Disney Night.

I knew shows like The Little Mermaid, Mary Poppins and Beauty and the Beast would get picked. Meanwhile, I was shocked to see Tangled on the list, because there’s currently a production in development, per Broadway World; however, it has not been put on a Broadway stage. The same goes for Hercules, which has a musical on the West End but has not been on Broadway. I was also pleasantly surprised by the inclusion of songs from the Disney-produced production Aida and Hamilton, which was filmed for Disney+.

However, putting all this together, it confuses me why they wouldn’t also pick Newsies. It’s a beloved and established Broadway show, and it deserves some love too.

I guess for now I'll just hold out hope that they use a song from it for the opening number. Anyway, thankfully, you can stream Newsies on Disney+, which is also where you can catch Disney Night of Dancing with the Stars (it also airs on ABC) this Monday at 8 p.m. ET.

Val Chmerkovskiy is opening up about his Halloween performance with Jenna Dewan, which ended with him biting at her neck for an eyebrow-raising amount of time. Now we finally have an explanation from the pro, who said it all came down to a stunt that didn't go as planned.

Val spoke to Entertainment Tonight about his return to DWTS after a suspension and short-lived feud with Carrie Ann Inaba. Unfortunately people were talking about him gnawing on Dewan's neck for too long, but he had a perfectly good explanation for that:

It sounds like Val was lingering on Jenna's neck in an attempt to get a blood packet out of his pocket. He then would've been able to slip it up to the neck to break it and make it look like he actually bit The Rookie star.

The neck bite was an unfortunate moment on the 2026 TV schedule and came off as awkward. While there's an obvious understanding that ballroom dancing can be passionate and needs to be sold to the judges, Val's wife, Jenna Johnson, is also on the show. I know I couldn't help but wonder how she felt about that moment, even if she's used to seeing him dance with others.

All this to say, I'm glad there wasn't a big issue there. Jenna and Val did ultimately tie for the second-highest score of the evening, finishing behind Harry Shum Jr's. brilliant Saw routine with Jenna Johnson. At this point, it's looking like we could see both couples in the finale!

Not that anyone expected anything less, given both contestants' dancing experience. That said, Jenna Dewan was not a classically trained ballroom dancer, so to see such skill with her Argentine Tango performance was quite impressive. Harry Shum Jr. was familiar enough with contemporary dancing that it was almost given that he'd get a perfect score when it came time for him to bust those moves out.

The best news for Val Chmerkovskiy is that it seems the feud between him and Carrie Ann Inaba is over, and Dancing With The Stars can proceed without any more controversy on that front. They were very cordial to each other while on stage, so it would appear that the social media comment that led to his suspension is all water under the bridge.

Dancing With The Stars continues its run on ABC on Tuesdays, or readers can stream it with a Disney+ subscription. Speaking of which, Disney night is just around the corner, so it may be a great time to revisit some of the classics to get even more amped about what the contestants have planned for this big night.

I knew Shirley Ballas would be tough on the stars when it was revealed she’d be guest judging during Dancing with the Stars' Horror Movie Night on the 2026 TV schedule. However, I did not expect her to be that harsh. The constructive and blunt criticism from the guest judge was needed, though, and I actually really appreciated it, despite the fact that it felt like the biggest jump scare of the Halloween episode.

Shirley Ballas' Scores Scared Me

Now, as someone who did watch DWTS: The Next Pro, I know Shirley Ballas is a tough critic. I also know that’s her reputation on Strictly Come Dancing too. However, the stark juxtaposition of some of her scores and the other judges’ scores actually spooked me for a second.

The instant that got me the worst happened right at the beginning. Coming off their fantastic dance that was dedicated to Heath Ledger, Julia Stiles and Ezra Sosa performed an Argentine Tango that got an eight from Bruno Tonioli, sevens from Derek Hough and Carrie Ann Inaba…and a four from Shirley Ballas.

She also handed out a four to Tatyana Ali and Jan Ravnik while the other three judges gave the pair eights. Tyler Cameron and Sharna Burgess got a five from Shirley while the other judges handed out sevens. And I think it’s worth noting that she gave her son, Mark Ballas, and his partner Maura Higgins a seven, while they got a nine from Carrie Ann and eights from Derek and Bruno.

Overall, she was the toughest critic of the night. Plus, when you mix that with the fact that the other three judges typically align with their scores, her low numbers really stood out. However, I think they were necessary.

Her Feedback Was So Good, The Numbers Were Fair, And Her Methodology Makes Sense

Even though Shirley Ballas is a tough judge, it’s not without reason. When she was giving feedback to Julia and Ezra, she was specific. She pointed out that she didn’t see much tracing on the floor, she said some of the moves were too slow, she wanted “sharper controlled legs,” and she explained that Julia's posture could be improved. All of that led to her giving them a four, and I think that makes sense.

The other judges were also critical about Julia’s dance, but they weren’t as specific, and they still gave her fairly high scores. I loved how real Shirley kept it, and she provided very clear and precise reasons for the number she gave. Overall, her honesty and fearless criticism were refreshing, and I feel like she really gave the stars feedback they need to grow as dancers.

Her scores also just make sense. She may have given some of the “worst scores we’ve ever seen in Week 7,” as a journalist for On The Red Carpet described it; however, her reasoning for it is sound, as she explained:

She noted that she’s “never been a great person of fluff,” and the lack of it was great for this episode. While I like how positive the judges keep it, their scoring gets high quickly, and they can provide commentary on the routines that lacks substantial feedback for contestants to use in the next week. So, when we get to the later weeks of the competition, things can feel a bit stagnant. However, with Shirley on the panel, that was not the case.

Also, her range of scores really made the highest scores of the night more meaningful. Like, her giving Harry Shum Jr. and Jenna Johnson a ten felt like she gave them a 20, because it’s clear she will not give out a score that high unless the contestants meet her incredibly high bar.

So, overall, I was here for her critical and at times scary scoring, and I really want to see her on this panel more often. However, she has to go back to Strictly Come Dancing, and DWTS will move forward to the always beloved Disney Night, which will air on Monday, November 2 at 8 p.m. ET. You can watch it and see how the next guest judge, Cynthia Erivo, shakes things up by catching the show on ABC or with a Disney+ subscription.

While Dancing with the Stars is moving along on the 2026 TV schedule, chatter about a lift Jenna Johnson put in a routine, Carrie Ann Inaba’s reaction to it, and Val Chmerkovskiy’s suspension has continued. Now, the judge has spoken out about it herself, clarifying how she and a “deeply hurt” Johnson cleared the air and proposing a new rule for lifts on the show.

Following Dedication Night, Inaba took to Instagram to post about how it was an evening of “much needed emotional catharsis.” The carousel of images included one of her and Jenna Johnson hugging, and in the comments section, the judge addressed the drama that ensued after she called out the pro’s lift on Super Bowl Night:

It’s worth noting that this statement also comes after Johnson’s husband and fellow pro, Val Chmerkovskiy, was suspended for a week after making a comment that referenced Will Smith slapping Chris Rock. It’s been alleged that the judge got higher-ups at DWTS involved after this comment. Now, after his week away from the show, Chmerkovskiy will be back in the ballroom for the Halloween episode.

Getting back to Inaba’s comment, she addressed the lift rule, and she said she is willing to discuss how she enforces it. She pointed to a video pro Sharna Burgess made that explained when lifts are and aren’t allowed, and the judge noted that she’s open to adding a new rule about lifts:

The above comment was not the only one Inaba left on her own post. After Johnson commented “💕✨👯‍♀️” on it, the judge responded to her. She wrote about how “profoundly important” Johnson's dance with Harry Shum Jr. was on Dedication Night for Asian Americans. She also noted that she wished the audience could have seen that everything is OK between her and the pro:

Inaba went on to explain that if Johnson feels the need to discuss her work as a judge, she’s open to it:

Carrie Ann Inaba closed out her direct comment to Jenna Johnson by writing that she is here to help them improve. She also said that if “something hurts,” she wants to know about it. She wants to work through it when “the moment is right and allowed by [their] EPs so we are in alignment with the rules of competition.”

So, with all that said, it would seem the air has been cleared between the two women. Plus, the show must go on. Carrie Ann Inaba has to keep judging, and Jenna Johnson has to keep competing with Harry Shum Jr. To see all of that, be sure to tune in to Dancing with the Stars on Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET either on ABC or with a Disney+ subscription.

Alfonso Ribeiro went on the offensive when former contestant Alexa PenaVega called Dancing With The Stars rigged. The co-host wasn't entertaining the idea that the show finds ways to keep certain contestants in the game, and said it all came down to "simple logic."

Ribeiro took a break from preparing for DWTS' "Horror Movie Night" episode to hit the 2026 TV schedule, and hopped in the comments of a viral TikTok. In said video, PenaVega recalled back in Season 21 when fellow contestant Hayes Grier accused the show of being rigged. The viral Vine star said that he likely had millions of votes coming in compared to competitors, and yet was eliminated fifth. PenaVega hinted she agreed with him and mentioned the show does have producers that could influence the result, but Ribeiro jumped in and shut it down quickly:

PenaVega stressed in a reply back to Ribeiro that she was just telling a story, and the drama seemingly ended there. In fairness, it's not like no one has ever made this accusation before. Part of this is because Dancing With The Stars never reveals the breakdown of each week's voting, outside of occasional announcements about how many total viewers voted.

We don't see the voting, but we do know how much power the audience vote has. Showrunner Conrad Green told EW it's a 50/50 split between the judges' scores and the audience vote. Based on that breakdown, there's really no leeway for producers to get a vote. If so, one would think they would've gotten rid of Guillermo Rodriguez a little quicker this season.

As for Hayes Grier, it's also fair to say that follower counts don't always equate to votes on Dancing With The Stars. He might have the same follower count as Season 21 winner Bindi Irwin on Instagram, but that doesn't mean his audience on Vine was tuned into DWTS. It's also worth saying that follower counts can be inflated on most social media platforms, and it's possible Grier didn't have as large a following as he thought.

Back in 2026, Dancing With The Stars has a double elimination on the way. The odds of a fan-favorite going home unexpectedly are greater than ever, which usually is when the "rigging" accusations start to flood in. I'm sure the judges are used to it by now, and would sooner deal with that than feuds involving lifts.

Speaking of which, Val Chmerkovskiy is back on Dancing With The Stars, fresh off his week-long suspension following comments on social media about Carrie Ann Inaba. In short, this is about to be can't-miss television, especially if Alfonso ends up shading Alexa PenaVega during the live episode! We can only cross our fingers and hope.

Dancing with the Stars' latest season has been a fun watch amid the 2026 TV schedule, and it seems like much of the fun is being had behind the scenes. That's especially true of Connor Wood and his dance partner Rylee Arnold. They're always goofing on each other and making funny videos in between rehearsals for their weekly dance numbers. Recently, Wood’s response to being called out for accidentally snubbing Jennifer Lawrence has gone mega-viral, and Arnold is having a lot of fun with it.

For context, in an interview with BuzzFeed, Wood revealed his big celebrity crush was Jennifer Lawrence and gushed about being a fan of the Oscar-winning actress. Lawrence, who couldn’t be funnier on Instagram, commented on the video of him talking about her and revealed that she saw him at a smoothie place and he didn’t pay attention to her.

Wood was flabbergasted by this revelation and had a hilariously dramatic response to the whole thing. His reaction went viral, and Arnold recently made a video of herself dancing to his response, you can see her video from TikTok below:

The audio in question just has Connor Wood reading JLaw’s comment over and over again, becoming more and more beside himself. He even threw himself on the floor in absolute shock. You can see his original reaction on TikTok below:

He’s not only shocked about accidentally snubbing his celebrity crush, but also that she recognized him and knew who he was enough to identify him in a smoothie place. The Jennifer-Lawrence comment has already become iconic and is being printed on T-shirts and used in memes. This is a tough break for Wood, but he also seems to be having fun with this as well. He’s been jokingly responding to comments from fans, and I love that he has a sense of humor about the whole thing.

If anyone is having fun with all this, it’s Rylee Arnold. Aside from the dancing videos to Wood's audio, she’s also been sharing a lot of the memes people have been making. Additionally, she's been laughing at comments that say the two of them should dance to him reading JLaw’s comment during their “horror night dance,” which is hysterical.

This is obviously all a joke, but I think we can all agree that the rapport and energy that Arnold and Wood have is a blast to watch, and I’m rooting for them to make it to the finals. Especially if we keep getting hilarious trolling videos like these. They have been a couple to watch on Season 35 of Dancing with the Stars from the beginning, and I’m confident this charm and Wood’s consistently improving skillset will continue to take them far, even if they aren’t the obvious DWTS frontrunners.

You can see Connor Wood and Rylee Arnold compete in Week 7 of Dancing with the Stars, which airs on Tuesday, October 27 at 8:00 PM ET on ABC. This week’s theme is horror movie night, so make sure to check it out. Fans that still need to get caught up on this season can check out previous episodes ,which are now streaming with a Disney+ subscription.

Over the course of the last four seasons of Dancing with the Stars, it’s become clear that there’s something of a curse on Brandon Armstrong, and it has to do with the color yellow. Yes, that’s right: in the last four seasons, three of the times he’s been eliminated, he’s been wearing yellow. I know, it sounds like a wild theory. However, I looked into it, and it’s such a coincidence that I think we should actually be calling it a curse.

Brandon Armstrong And Ciara Miller Got Eliminated While Wearing Yellow

When Brandon Armstrong and Ciara Miller were eliminated during Season 35, which is the season currently airing on the 2026 TV schedule, it was quickly and aggressively pointed out that their costumes had yellow accents in them (as you can see below).

While they were never frontrunners on DWTS, I really thought Brandon and Ciara would last longer. So, when they went out on Mariah Carey Night, I was shocked. And yes, I did fall into the idea that it might be the color yellow’s fault. Even the pro’s wife, Brylee Armstrong, commented on the yellow (and how they wore it as they were eliminated). Take a look:

Weeks before Brandon and Ciara were eliminated, they joked about the yellow curse too; take a look:

While it’s funny, this curse is as legit as curses get once you look into Brandon’s recent history of wearing yellow. Seriously, it’s such an odd trend!

Brandon Armstrong’s History Of Being Eliminated While Wearing Yellow

Alright, let’s flash back to last season, Season 34. Brandon was paired with Fifth Harmony’s Lauren Jauregui, and they were eliminated on TikTok Night (which was Episode 3). Jauregui famously said she was “pissed” about this development, and she and her partner were wearing bright yellow when she said it. Take a look:

Now, Season 33 is the exception in this run of four, because Brandon and his partner, Chandler Kinney, made it all the way to the finale. They didn’t win, so technically they were eliminated, but it just feels different. Also, they weren’t wearing yellow that night.

In Season 32, the pro and Lele Pons were eliminated in Episode 7 on Music Video Night. They, you guessed it, were wearing yellow:

In Season 31, which is as far back as you can go with the show if you’re watching with a Disney+ subscription, Brandon and Jordin Sparks were eliminated on Halloween Night, and they were not wearing yellow. The pro was painted silver, and the singer had a cool sheer skeleton dress on. So, this curse is more recent.

Well, I think the moral of the story here is that Brandon Armstrong should just stay away from the color yellow when he’s competing. Even having it as an accent color is bad luck.

So, after he finishes working on the show this season and he hopefully gets his partner for Season 36, they'd better tell the costume department that they won’t wear yellow. Clearly, there’s something to this curse…

Dancing With The Stars always has the best theme nights, and a fan favorite remains the tear-jerking “Dedication Night.” That proved to be true again this year, with heartfelt performances like Julia Stiles' number dedicated to Heath Ledger that featured several of her 10 Things I Hate About You co-stars. Unfortunately, David Krumholtz, who played Michael Eckman in the film, was notably missing from the reunion, but there’s a good reason for his absence.

After receiving all nines for her performance, including from Carrie Ann Inaba, who has become known for her sometimes aggressive comments, Stiles spoke with ET about how the mini reunion came to be and set the record straight about Krumholtz's absence before anyone could start speculating about a feud on social media.

It’s unclear what HBO show Krumholtz is currently working on, but it could be The Trial of Louise Woodward, which is set to premiere on HBO in 2027. However, the Oppenheimer star currently boasts a slew of upcoming projects despite once considering “quitting” Hollywood, so it’s anyone's guess what could have kept him away. Stiles’s Dancing with the Stars partner Ezra Sosa said it best:

Despite the Save the Last Dance star immediately clearing the air for worried fans, Krumholtz took to his Instagram to further confirm his disappointment at not being able to participate in the touching tribute. Check it out:

As a massive fan of the beloved romantic comedy, I’m glad both Stiles and Krumholtz set the record straight about his absence and that there’s no bad blood between the cast.

In fact, Krumholtz wasn’t actually the only star missing from the tribute, as none of the actors who played adults the film, like Larry Miller, Daryl Mitchell, and Allison Janney, were present either. The latter makes sense since Janney is currently performing on Broadway opposite Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Ed Harris, and Stranger Things star Joe Keery. Mitchell’s absence was slightly more curious considering he’s already a part of the ABC family, appearing in the sitcom Shifting Gears.

Still, the tribute to the late Heath Ledger was a moving one, and it was heartwarming to see Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Larisa Oleynik, Gabrielle Union, Susan May Pratt and Andrew Keegan standing with Stiles. According to the Dancing with the Stars competitor, it was fairly easy to get the cast back together again, too, as they were all eager to appear as long as their fellow actors were also included. There’s something special about a cast sticking together after all these years.

10 Things I Hate About You can be streamed with a Disney+ subscription, which Dancing with the Stars fans should already have, considering episodes are streamed live every Tuesday at 8 p.m. ET on the streaming service and ABC as part of the 2026 TV schedule. Next week’s episode is one you won’t want to miss, with it being Halloween Night.

Connor Wood apparently wanted one thing from Jennifer Lawrence: confirmation that she knows he exists. With the Oscar winner potentially returning to Panem on the 2026 movie schedule, Wood picked quite a moment to put his celebrity crush out into the universe. The Dancing with the Stars contestant was hoping she'd acknowledge him because he needs, and I quote, “something good to happen to him.” Well, be careful what you wish for, because JLaw apparently heard his prayers and took to Instagram to troll him in the best possible way.

Wood recently sat down with his DWTS partner Rylee Arnold for a BuzzFeed BFF Test, and when the questions turned to celebrity crushes, he named Jennifer Lawrence without hesitation. And apparently, word got back to the actress who only recently joined Instagram, as she left a comment on IG. However, instead of giving Wood the acknowledgment he'd been hoping for, she hit him with this hilariously specific accusation:

Connor. Buddy. The funniest reading, and the one I’m sticking with until somebody produces security footage, is that the No Hard Feelings actress is trolling this man. Given Lawrence's history of hilariously unfiltered public moments, I wouldn't put it past her.

Nothing in the post proves she actually saw Wood wandering Eighth Avenue with a smoothie. Maybe it happened, but more than likely, this is some polite ribbing from the Hunger Games lead. Or who knows, maybe the X-Men alum really did witness the saddest missed celebrity-crush encounter in New York history.

Or maybe she heard a comedian say he wanted Jennifer Lawrence to know he existed and immediately invented a psychologically damaging way to tell him she does. That possibility is so much funnier. The specificity kills me. Not “I’ve seen your videos.” Not “Hi Connor.” She went with Eighth Avenue, a smoothie, and the accusation that he personally ignored her. Funny enough, Lawrence has her own history of awkward celebrity crushes, including admitting she had a thing for Seth Meyers. And yet, that didn't make her go easy on the young man.

For the record, Wood has been very public about the crush for years. Along with the confession JLaw saw, he and Brooke Averick have discussed the Winter's Bone breakout on Brooke and Connor Make a Podcast. So if Lawrence wanted material for a precision troll, she had plenty.

In response, Wood didn't try to investigate the allegation. He did not post a map of Eighth Avenue. He did not demand witnesses. He did not insist he would obviously recognize Katniss Everdeen while holding a beverage. Instead, he reposted her Instagram response (see below) to his own story and added three words: "Going to bed."

Perfect. That is exactly what you do when your longtime celebrity crush publicly claims you once walked straight past her while drinking a smoothie. Real encounter or not, you can't recover from that. Close the apps. Turn out the lights. Try again tomorrow.

Wood currently has other things to worry about, though. He is competing on Season 35 of Dancing with the Stars with Arnold, a pairing CinemaBlend previously singled out as one to watch when the cast was announced in September. He has steadily improved through the competition, recently earning his highest score yet during Dedication Night.

However, Mirrorball Trophy or no Mirrorball Trophy, the Die My Love actress may have already handed him the funniest win of his season. He wanted Jennifer Lawrence to know he exists. She apparently knows enough to ruin his night with one sentence.

The last week of the 2026 TV schedule was full of Dancing with the Stars drama. Following comments Carrie Ann Inaba made about a lift in Jenna Johnson and Harry Shum Jr.’s Super Bowl night dance, Johnson’s husband and pro, Val Chmerkovskiy, made a comment toward the judge that got him suspended. So, as Alan Bersten stepped in for him this week, lots of discourse about all this ensued, and I fell down the rabbit hole.

Liftgate And What Got Val Suspended

Let’s take it back to Super Bowl night and the event the internet has dubbed “Liftgate.” After Harry Shum Jr. and Jenna Johnson performed a Samba that included the troupe lifting the Glee actor, Carrie Ann Inaba called out the lift. The pro was shocked by the callout, and many online were upset about it. Amid all this, Val Chmerkovskiy posted a now-deleted TikTok (via Page Six) that said:

This reference to when Will Smith slapped Chris Rock at the Oscars is what got Val suspended. He publicly apologized to the judge for what he said, and reportedly, Inaba went to the producers to say she wanted something done about this. On the Saturday before Dedication Night, it was reported that the pro had been suspended for one episode. In response to that, he wrote on his IG Story (via Us Weekly):

In the same statement, he apologized to Carrie Ann again, saying she “didn’t deserve to get caught in the middle of [his] bad judgment.” He also asked fans to send their love to the judge, his partner Jenna Dewan and “the whole DWTS family.”

How Val's Suspension Impacted Dedication Night

With Val out, his partner, Jenna Dewan, needed a pro to dance with. So, Alan Bersten, who was eliminated earlier in the season, stepped in to help.

During Dedication Night, Val’s absence was briefly addressed, and during an interview with GMA after the show, the Step Up star shared that she and Alan had two-and-a-half days to prepare for their Viennese waltz. However, the number dedicated to Dewan’s mom, Nancy, went very well, and The Rookie actress got her first ten.

Meanwhile, Val was at home watching, as his wife, Jenna Johnson, shared during an interview with ET:

Val was also active on social media, proving that even though he wasn’t in the ballroom, he was still supporting his partner.

How Val And Alan Responded To The Whole Situation

When it was announced that Alan would step in for Val, the intense comments surrounding the suspension amplified. People were wondering if there was any drama between the pros, and many were suspicious about the fact that Val didn’t follow Alan on Instagram. In response to that, Val commented on Alan’s post about performing with Dewan:

I can confirm that Val does follow Alan on Instagram.

Anyway, with that out of the way, Val commented on Jenna Dewan and Alan’s performance, too, simply writing in the comments on the show’s post about it:

To further prove that the two guys are on good terms, Alan also spoke about how he worked with Val amid his suspension during an interview with GMA:

Well, now that that’s all cleared up, it would seem it’s time to get back to business as usual.

What’s Next For Val?

Val will be back for the next episode, according to THR. We knew he had a one-episode suspension, and that has held true, as the outlet reported that the pro is back in rehearsals. That means he’ll be by Jenna Dewan’s side for the Halloween episode.

So, it seems everything is cleared up now, and the show is getting back to normal. To see Val Chmerkovskiy back in the ballroom, you can watch Dancing with the Stars on Tuesday, October 27 at 8 p.m. ET on ABC or with a Disney+ subscription.

After excluding myself for years, I'm watching Dancing with the Stars for the first time this season. The reality competition series (which is streaming with a Disney+ subscription) is endlessly entertaining, even if I've been annoyed by the judges every now and then. Dedication night was full of tear-jerking moments, but the internet is obsessed with Jan Ravnik's reaction upon learning that Pasha Pashkov won People's Sexiest DWTS Pro. The story behind his side eye makes the viral moment even better.

Lots of tears were shed during the most recent episode of Dancing with the Stars, which made the lighter moments stand out. That includes Pasha's crowning as People's Sexiest Pro, as well as Jan's A+ reaction. In an interview with E! News immediately after the episode, the 31-year-old dancer spoke about his viral face, offering:

They say it's an honor just to be nominated, but unfortunately Ravnik was not even given that honor when it came to People's Sexiest Dancing with the Stars pro. Being on camera as Pashkov was given this honor was seemingly adding insult to injury. As a competitive person myself, I totally get it.

I mean, who was in charge of the nominations? Jan is an objectively handsome man, who often elicits swoons on the ballroom floor. The pro, with his partner Tatyana Ali at his side, further explained why he was so miffed by Pasha's win. As he put it:

Even if he was semi-joking, it sounds like the Sexiest DWTS pro triggered some childhood trauma. Not only was he not nominated, but Pasha won and got his very own Prom King-esque sash while Jan was in the background watching. You can see his comments about that viral reaction below:

Given the discourse surrounding the newest episode regarding Carrie Ann Inaba and Val Chmerkovskiy, this low-stakes drama of this moment was refreshing and delightful. Jan's side-eye reaction was utterly hilarious, and clearly the internet, fans, and journalists noticed him on the side of the frame. As you can see in the above video, he seemed to have a good sense of humor about going viral, and clearly doesn't harbor any actual ill will about Pasha's victory. That being said, the two-time DWTS pro would seemingly love to be included in future competitions.

Dancing with the Stars airs Tuesdays on ABC as part of the 2026 TV schedule. We'll just have to see if Jan or Pasha end up making it further in this season's competition.

Dancing With The Stars' Carrie Ann Inaba was not happy with Val Chmerkovskiy's online comments and allegedly asked BBC Productions to do something about them. As contestants prepare for "Dedication Night" on the 2026 TV schedule, more about the ongoing conflict between the two is coming out.

For those in need of a refresher, this issue started back when Carrie Ann called out Jenna Johnson, a DWTS pro and Val's wife, for using a lift during a dance it was not allowed in. That led to a tense on-air moment between the two, and Val later posted on social media that Carrie Ann almost saw "Fresh Prince," a reference to when Will Smith slapped Chris Rock at the Oscars. Val deleted the post and publicly apologized to Carrie Ann, and DWTS suspended him for one week. Now TMZ reports the situation went even deeper than what people saw.

Carrie Ann Reportedly Asked For Action To Be Taken Against Val

A new report suggests that Carrie Ann played a role in Val's suspension, as she reportedly told BBC's producers that she was not happy and wanted something done in response to his comments on social media. It added that she felt "threatened" by the longtime pro, given the implication of violence. However, another source alleged that the BBC launched an investigation but would not confirm if the judge complained.

Carrie Ann Inaba has dealt with criticism a lot over the years, especially from fans who feel her scores are too harsh. She's taken on the role of being the tough judge since the late Len Goodman retired, which has led to more negative comments thrown her way.

Will Val Stay On Dancing With The Stars Following His Suspension?

Though Val Chmerkovskiy's suspension on Dancing With The Stars only lasts one week, one might wonder what his long-term future with the program looks like after this controversy. He's threatened to leave in the past over controversial eliminations. One might wonder if he'll make a similar announcement should this situation escalate further.

As for Jenna Johnson, she's made it clear in previous years that she'd remain with the show if Val left. Both are talented pros and have been with the series a long time. As for Carrie Ann Inaba, she's been with the show since the beginning.

To be clear, no one is talking about Val or Carrie Ann leaving Dancing With The Stars, but with no public reconciliation between them, one has to wonder what this could mean for the future. Could tensions escalate in future weeks, or will they figure out how to move forward in a cordial way?

For now, Dancing With The Stars continues on ABC, with Val's partner, Jenna Dewan, teaming up with Alan Bersten during the pro's suspension. We'll see how much the show addresses the drama when Dedication Night airs live tonight at 8 p.m. ET on ABC and Disney+.

Season 35 of Dancing with the Stars has been a doozy so far, with plenty of folks watching the series on ABC (and streaming with a Disney+ subscription). While the biggest headline lately was Val being suspended after invoking Will Smith's Oscars slap, last week also turned heads when Justin Baldoni was seen in the audience. This marks a rare public appearance since his legal battle with Blake Lively began, and an alleged insider is making claims about how Lively and Ryan Reynolds reportedly reacted.

Baldoni and Lively settled and issued a joint statement, but the drama surrounding It Ends With Us (which is streaming with a Hulu subscription) keeps making headlines. Over on Rob Schuter's Substack, the journalist is quoting an alleged insider who is reportedly close to Blake and Ryan. They claim:

We should probably take these rumor with a grain of salt, but this report indicates there might be some drama between the celebrity couple and the powers that be at Disney. Deadpool & Wolverine broke box office records, grossing $533.7 million. If this report is to be believed, it sounds like Reynolds thought that this would have garnered some loyalty with the House of Mouse. But Justin Baldoni attending DWTS' latest episode sends a very different message.

Dancing with the Stars fans love to point out the celebrities in the audience, including alumni from the reality competition series. Justin Baldoni reportedly attended as a guest of host Julianne Hough, as they are friends who have collaborated before. Later in the same report, the same alleged insider made more claims about how Reynolds and Lively are feeling about Baldoni attending the dance show, saying:

Baldoni and Lively spent millions on legal fees during their years-long battle over It Ends With Us. The drama also seems to have negatively affected both of their careers, which have slowed down as they duked it out in court. So the fact that the movie's director and star ended up popping up on DWTS this week is a big step forward, one that the Gossip Girl actress reportedly isn't pleased about.

After the It Ends With Us case was settled, Blake Lively attended the Met Gala, marking her first major appearance in quite some time. In many ways it feels like Baldoni and his family at DWTS was his big return to the public, although if this report is to be believed not everyone is happy about it.

Dancing with the Stars airs new episodes Tuesdays on ABC as part of the 2026 TV schedule. We'll just have to see who ends up popping up in the audience next.

Last week marked the end of Guillermo Rodriguez’s Dancing with the Stars journey, as he and dance partner Witney Carson were eliminated at the conclusion of Week 5 of Season 35. During his tenure on the reality competition series amid the 2026 TV schedule, Guillermo became a fan-favorite and amassed a lot of support, despite not receiving high scores. On that note, his talk show partner, Jimmy Kimmel, paid tribute to him after his elimination and, as sweet as it was on air, it turns out there are some even lovelier BTS details.

Kimmel paid tribute to his longtime sidekick’s DWTS run during his opening monologue on the October 14th broadcast of Jimmy Kimmel Live!, and it was quite sentimental. While the host began by questioning Guillermo about what he might do with his newfound reality TV fame, Kimmel segued into a sweet montage chronicling the ups and downs of his buddy’s stint on Dancing. Later, Carson came out before the audience, and she and Guillermo danced. Carson later discussed the tribute, and shared behind-the-scenes insights:

Carson – who’s currently pregnant with her third child – made these comments while speaking with ET (as seen on Instagram), and they’re so sweet. I thought the Kimmel tribute was sweet already, but it’s even more sentimental when someone’s aware that the producers were crying amid the proceedings. And, while viewers at home got some shots of the audience cheering, I love knowing that they all came together to give Carson and Guillermo a standing ovation. Check out the tribute during the monologue below:

The last leg of Guillermo and Carson’s DWTS stint was Super Bowl Night, which saw the pair perform a salsa routine to Bad Bunny’s “Tití Me Preguntó”. Ultimately, the two earned their highest score of the competition – a 22 out of 40. That ranking, however, was still low compared to the scores of their competitors and, by the time the night was over, their names were called during the elimination portion of the night.

Overall, Guillermo’s time on Dancing was filled with both highs and lows, from the army of fans who supported him on social media to those who were mad about him avoiding elimination despite low scores. There was also the supposedly shady comment from fellow competitor Jackson Olson regarding one of Rodriguez’s routines, though Olson later publicly apologized for that.

There was certainly a lot of anticipation for Guillermo’s involvement in DWTS after he was initially announced as a competitor. Needless to say, his tenure on the long-running series didn’t disappoint, and Guillermo himself expressed gratitude for his time on the program following his elimination. I love that he’s thankful for having had the opportunity to compete and that both he and Witney Carson got their flowers on Jimmy Kimmel’s show in such a sweet way.

Check out new episodes of Dancing with the Stars, which air on Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET on ABC and can simultaneously be streamed with a Disney+ subscription. Also, Jimmy Kimmel Live! airs weekly at 11:35 p.m. ET on the Alphabet network as well.

I’ve been watching Dancing with the Stars on and off for almost all of my life, and for decades I’ve known one thing to be true: Carrie Ann Inaba will call out a lift when it’s not allowed. However, oftentimes, when she does this, it causes quite the commotion online. That happened in a big way when the Super Bowl episode of Season 35 aired on the 2026 TV schedule, and she aggressively called out a lift included in Jenna Johnson and Harry Shum Jr.’s dance.

So, as I’ve witnessed a passionate and wild discourse play out online, I decided to look up what exactly the lift rules are on Dancing with the Stars.

What Carrie Ann Said About Lifts On Super Bowl Night

While Super Bowl Night sparked lots of conversations online that ranged from Guillermo’s elimination to Julia Stiles' Save the Last Dance tribute, the lift debacle has been the main thing I’ve been thinking about. That’s because while I know Carrie Ann is a stickler about lifts, I wasn’t expecting her to end her very critical comments with:

Now, when Carrie Ann first said there was a lift, Jenna Johnson responded in shock by saying, “A lift?” and you can see that play out by watching the episode with a Disney+ subscription. Then, when the pro got up to the skybox, she explained that the comment shocked her because she thought the rule was that “if you lifted your partner,” and it was the troupe who lifted Harry, not her.

Overall, it was an awkward situation, and it’s left me with questions about what exactly the rules are when it comes to lifts.

What Are The Rules For Lifts?

As I mentioned, this is not the first time Carrie Ann Inaba’s strict feelings about lifts and her judging in general have caused intense discourse. So, yes, she has addressed the rules and how she applies them to the show multiple times before. For example, in 2015, she wrote a blog for Parade that stated:

I double-checked the National Dance Council of America Rule Book as well, and that definition (which is also the one she read while critiquing Harry and Jenna) is still the exact one that’s used today. However, this rule does not apply to all dances. Sometimes lifts are allowed, and other times they are not, as Inaba explained:

So, to make it clearer, lifts are not allowed in styles like:

• Cha-Cha
• Samba
• Paso Doble
• Tango
• Waltz
• Viennese Waltz
• Foxtrot
• Quickstep
• Rumba
• Jive

However, as Inaba wrote, they are allowed in styles like:

• Jazz
• Contemporary
• Charleston
• Salsa
• Argentine Tango

Now you know why she’ll compliment lifts sometimes and call them out other times. It also explains why she had the reaction she did to Harry and Jenna’s dance.

So, as we move forward with this season of Dancing with the Stars, keep this rule in mind, because it explains why Carrie Ann Inaba reacts the way she does to lifts. Now, with all that explained and out of the way, you can catch new episodes of DWTS every Tuesday at 8 p.m. ET on ABC or Disney+.

Many of the celebrities who go on Dancing with the Stars have said that it's an unforgettable and fun experience. In fact, even though he was just eliminated during the season airing on the 2026 TV schedule, fan favorite Guillermo Rodriguez said he adored his time on the show. However, not everyone leaves with such warm and fuzzy feelings, and Kim Kardashian made that clear.

At the height of Keeping Up with the Kardashians, the reality star and businesswoman competed on Season 7 of DWTS back in 2008. She was partnered with Mark Ballas, and they were the third couple eliminated. While they only lasted three weeks, the experience stuck with Kardashian, and not in a good way. While on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, Kardashian looked back at her time on the competition and pointed out that Guillermo lasted longer than she did. And unlike him, she wasn’t fond of her time on the show:

Despite the fact that Kardashian has refused to dance anywhere, even at weddings, DWTS is still (unwillingly) on her mind. She revealed that just a few weeks ago at a family poker night, her sister Kylie Jenner put up one of her performances on the big screen for everyone to see. It got Kardashian thinking that there should be a Kardashian-Jenner season of DWTS, and I honestly wouldn’t hate it. It does mean that Kim K. would have to dance again, and given how it apparently traumatized her, that might not be the best idea.

Meanwhile, not everyone has had bad experiences. Even though he got the lowest judges’ scores every week, Guillermo was actually having a blast. He and his partner, Witney Carson, consistently posted fun TikToks, and they seemed to be having the time of their lives. Even when he got eliminated, he looked happy as everyone cheered him on.

He truly remained positive throughout, with Carson going on the record about how much work he put in and how much he wanted it. Plus, it seemed like the entire country was rooting for them, which is why they stayed in for so long. Of course, there were a lot of people thinking that Guillermo should have gone home earlier, but Kimmel has been quick to come to his defense.

Dancing With the Stars is different for everyone who competes, which is why it’s so entertaining each season. Doing DWTS can take a toll on you, both mentally and physically, as many celebrities and pros have shared in the past. And it can apparently still impact them even years after they step out of the ballroom.

The competition on Season 35 of DWTS is heating up, and at this point, it’s still anyone’s game. It should be interesting to see who makes it out of Dedication Night and who doesn’t, and I'm looking forward to hearing more about other celebs' experiences on the show.

New episodes of Dancing With the Stars air on Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET on ABC and with a Disney+ subscription.

I know most fans of The Boys were way more into the original series than its more youthful Gen V spinoff, but I always really enjoyed the setting and the stakes in Gen V before it was unceremoniously canceled at Amazon. While watching the series, I always thought Andre’s dad looked extremely familiar, but it was generally a passing thought I had while watching rather than something I was deeply interested in investigating. And then I watched Dancing with the Stars this week and had such an aha moment I have to talk about it.

After fans made all the Save The Last Dance comments (and Juilliard even shaded the actress) when Julia Stiles joined the ABC reality competition series, it felt like it was only a matter of time before the actress busted out some of her early aughts dance moves on the show. That week was this week, and when she and pro partner Ezra Sosa busted out some sweet moves, her co-star Sean Patrick Thomas was there to watch. You can see him partway through the performance when he and Ezra line up.

Only in that moment did I realize the young man I’d gone to see not once, not twice, but three times when Save The Last Dance was in theaters back in 2001 was the same man who played Andre’s dad in the Amazon Prime Video series. Listen: In the late nineties and early 2000s Thomas was around. I remember him from Dance, but also Cruel Intentions and Barbershop. Then, he kind of shifted into TV and I lost tabs on him. Some of his big recent roles like in For All Mankind, I just missed.

So while I understand time has passed since 2001, in my head Sean Patrick Thomas is not a 55-year-old man with salt and pepper in his hair. In reality, he is a 55-year-old man with salt and pepper hair, but the same 800 kilo-watt smile. Connecting these two mental images was a huge shock to me.

Sometimes I am confronted with my own mortality in ways that stick out like a sore thumb. The last time this happened was when Macaulay Culkin announced he was 40 a few years ago. It’s incomprehensible to realize this much time has passed. You blink and it’s gone forever.

But it’s still very special to be a part of these moments in time. Save the Last Dance was a huge movie in my childhood. It’s right up there with Bring it On, or 10 Things I Hate About You (also starring Stiles) or Mean Girls a little later. It’s nice to also be a part of the Dancing with the Stars fandom this season and to realize so many people also remember going to the theater to see Julia Stiles in this role, and in other roles that really mark a moment of time in our collective memory. Even her other co-star Kerry Washington has seemingly been watching.

After the episode aired, Sean Patrick Thomas took to Instagram where he shared a picture with Stiles and wrote:

For me, too buddy. Just for different reasons. Listen, I get it though. Nostalgia is a powerful driving force behind pop culture. Just ask all those celebrities out there re-championing low-rise jeans.

And if you want to revisit Miss Stiles and Sean Patrick Thomas, ABC and Disney currently (and conveniently) have the rights to Save the Last Dance on Hulu, or you can watch it with your Disney+ subscription. You can thank me later.

Warning! Spoilers ahead for Dancing With the Stars Season 35, Episode 6, “Super Bowl Night,” streaming now with a Disney+ subscription.

Dancing With the Stars’ 35^th season is continuing on the 2026 TV schedule, and Tuesday night was definitely a trip. The Super Bowl hit the ballroom with plenty of dances inspired by halftime performers, and of course, the night ended with an elimination. While Jimmy Kimmel’s beloved sidekick Guillermo Rodriguez was officially sent home, I can’t stop thinking about the dance that Julia Stiles did that was full of nostalgia.

What Guillermo Said About His Elimination

Guillermo and partner Witney Carson have gotten the lowest judges’ scores every single week since the beginning of the season. Additionally, the two have been in the “bottom three” every single week, but previously managed to sneak by. Despite their Salsa to a Bad Bunny hit being their best dance yet, Guillermo and Carson were ultimately eliminated by the episode’s end. Kimmel, who has been showing his support for his co-star week after week and clapping back at haters, interviewed the two on Jimmy Kimmel Live! after their elimination. He jokingly wondered if they should take legal action before asking if Guillermo achieved what he set out to achieve:

As someone who enjoyed watching Guillermo each week, I’m sad that he was eliminated, even though I knew it would be coming. Fans have been mixed on him being in the competition. Of course, he’s been a favorite, but plenty of people have also been upset that Guillermo stayed in for so long because other couples who were stronger dancers were eliminated. People were also calling out Carson for allegedly being disappointed they weren’t being eliminated, but Carson cleared the air on social media and had nothing but praise for her partner.

While they are no longer in the competition, they will still be doing one last dance together in the finale, so at least there’s that to look forward to. If anything, it’s great to know that Guillermo lost some weight, as that was apparently a goal of the TV personality.

Now We Have To Talk About Julia Stiles And Save The Last Dance

Guillermo’s elimination may have brought heartbreak to the ballroom, but Super Bowl night brought some pretty powerful performances as well. For instance, Julia Stiles brought a powerful and nostalgic performance. She and partner Ezra Sosa danced a Jazz to a remix of Jennifer Lopez’s “Jenny from the Block” and it was pretty incredible, from the outfits to the chairography. What’s even more incredible were the nods to Save the Last Dance, and it was everything:

It’s been 25 years since Sara Johnson auditioned for Juilliard in that beloved movie, and Stiles’ dance proved that she still has what it takes. Juilliard might have shaded Stiles after people jokingly pointed out (and others believed) that Stiles had gone to the famed performing arts conservatory, but she’s been showing off her skills with no problem. It was only a matter of time before the beloved movie was brought up, and she and Sosa incorporated it into one of their dances, and I’m so happy that they did it before it was too late.

As always, Dancing With the Stars was a roller coaster, but Super Bowl Night really made it clear that only the best has yet to come because everyone brought it to the ballroom. It will be hard to watch without Guillermo’s fun moves, but at least he’ll be back on Jimmy Kimmel Live!

New episodes of Dancing With the Stars air on Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET on ABC and Disney+.

I am currently watching Dancing with the Stars for the first time, and every week there's something that stands out enough that I need to take to the computer. Sometimes its rants about the DWTS judges, but the Super Bowl Halftime Show-themed episode had me freaking out about who was in the audience. Namely the unexpected Grey's Anatomy reunion that had me feeling like I needed to go to the ER.

The most recent episode of DWTS (which is streaming with a Disney+ subscription) saw Grey's Anatomy star Harry Shum Jr. dancing to Usher's "Yeah!", and after his performance we were shown a table of ABC stars from Grey's, 9-1-1, and 9-1-1: Nashville. That included Chief Webber himself James Pinkens Jr, as well as former Arizona Robbins actress Jessica Capshaw. You can see the shot of them sitting together below:

Are we on Dancing with the Stars or is this just another day at Grey Sloane Memorial's Attendings Lounge? Either way I'm psyched about seeing Pinkens and Capshaw together on screen for the first time since Arizona was written off of Grey's Anatomy back in 2018. These two actors worked together for many years on the beloved medical drama (which is streaming with a Hulu subscription), and I so wish I could have been a fly on the wall to hear their conversations while cheering on Shum.

James Pinkens Jr. is one of the only OGs still on the cast of Grey's Anatomy, alongside Chandra Wilson and Ellen Pompeo (although the latter of which only appears in a guest capacity in addition to narrating each episode). Fans were bummed when Arizona Robbins and April Kepner were written off in Season 14, especially since they had starred in the series for so long. I have to assume I'm not the only fan who freaked out when seeing this mini reunion on DWTS.

While some folks want to see Jessica Capshaw return as Arizona, she's currently busy starring in 9-1-1: Nashville as Blythe Hart. That's why she was at the ABC table supporting Harry Shum Jr.. After all, she had departed the show long before the Glee alum made his debut as Dr. Benson Kwan.

Grey's Anatomy continues to be an institution in the television world, with the long-running medical drama about to start its whopping 23rd season on the air. We've lost a ton of longterm characters in recent years, with the most recent departures being Kevin McKidd and Kim Raver, who played Owen Hunt and Teddy Altman respectively. Could this open the door for a guest appearance from Capshaw? Only time will tell, but I'll take this unexpected DWTS reunion for now.

Dancing with the Stars airs new episodes Tuesdays on ABC, and Grey's Anatomy airs on Thursday nights as part of the 2026 TV schedule. Harry Shum Jr. has already inspired plenty of surprise guests, including his Glee co-stars. Who knows who will pop up in the audience next?

While Dancing with the Stars pro Val Chmerkovskiy is currently partnered with Len Goodman Mirrorball Trophy Season 35 frontrunner Jenna Dewan on the 2026 TV schedule, he’s already looking to the future and wanting to shake things up. It sounds like he’s been inspired by his wife and fellow pro dancer Jenna Johnson, who made up half of the first-ever same-sex couple in Season 30 when she and Jojo Siwa made it all the way to runner-up, and is looking to make a bit of history of his own.

During promotion for their partnership with the household cleaner Fabuloso, Val and Jenna were asked about the kind of future partner they might want on the hit dance show, and previous winner Chmerkovskiy revealed that he’d like to challenge himself by pairing up with a male contestant. Here’s what he told In Touch:

I think it could work, and there's two pieces of evidence to support this.

Why A Male-Male DWTS Pairing Is On The Horizon

The first? DWTS has proven it’s willing to break the mold when it comes to dance partnerships. What started with Jenna and Jojo in Season 30 continued in Season 31 when the first drag queen contestant, Shangela, partnered with Gleb Savchenko. And then, Hailey Bills, Val and Jenna’s niece, partnered with reality star Sarah Jane Nader this season, even though they sadly were eliminated after just one dance. Having a male-male team feels like the next step.

The former partner of Season 23 winner, Olympic gymnast Laurie Hernandez, and Season 20 winner Rumer Willis, daughter of Bruce Willis, Val has very rightly pointed out that a partnership between two men is on the horizon for DWTS. There had previously been some question of whether the ABC series would ever have an all-male pairing on the show, but now I really think it seems more like a matter of when and not if.

The second reason? We got a glimpse of how that could push boundaries and artistry when former pro/current judge Derek Hough teamed up with longtime friend/pro dancer Mark Ballas for a stunning same-sex tango in Season 33. Not only was it a significant moment in dance history, but it received widespread acclaim and is one of the best dances that’s ever been featured on the long-running series.

You can watch Dancing with the Stars on Tuesdays on ABC or stream it with a Disney+ subscription. While there is still some time until we learn who this season’s winner will be, I’m excited to know that the pro dancers are already thinking about future seasons and continuing to push themselves in what they’re offering fans of the show.

Dancing with the Stars Season 35 is underway on the 2026 TV schedule, and though it’s only been four weeks, there are some clear fan favorites. Yet public opinion can shift in an instant, especially when the internet is involved. That's what celebrity competitors Jackson Olson and Guillermo Rodriguez experienced this week after the Savannah Bananas player posted a seemingly shady comment on TikTok. Now, an inside source is dishing on how Jimmy Kimmel Live! sidekick is reportedly feeling about the situation after Olson’s public apology.

It wouldn't be a true DWTS season without some cast drama and online controversy. After dance partners Guillermo and Season 34 pro winner Witney Carson danced to “Escape (The Pina Colada Song” for Week 3’s Yacht Rock theme, Banana Ball team the Loco Beach Coconuts recreated Carson and Guillermo’s choreography for a TikTok video. In a now-deleted series of comments on said TikTok clip, Olson, a fellow Banana Ball Championship League player, gave the attempt a score of 3/10, saying “But seriously how did you do this better than him with 2 hours of rehearsal. 😂”

Naturally, the internet was immediately divided, with fans either criticizing Olson for dissing his competitor or defending the baseball player’s comments as a good-humored dig. The real question is how the comment was received by Guillermo, and an inside source tells The Sun how the comedian is allegedly feeling regarding the controversy:

DWTS fans have been divided on Guillermo’s run in the competition thus far. During Week 1, the comedian received the second lowest score ever given on DWTS and has consistently scored at the bottom each week.

Despite that, Carson and Rodriguez have continued week after week while higher-scoring couples have gone home, frustrating some viewers who are calling it rigged. However, what the 55-year-old lacks in dancing ability, he makes up for in personality and showmanship, as seen in the dance from Week 3. That, paired with the support from comedic collaborator Jimmy Kimmel, have kept fan votes for Guillermo high. Check out his and Carson's foxtrot:

However, it’s no secret that the comedian is fighting hard to stay in the competition as long as possible. There are a number of front runners favored to win the mirrorball trophy this year, most notably Harry Shum Jr. and Jenna Dewan, and Guillermo’s not one of them. It seems his time is limited, but could sympathy from this online kerfuffle have the potential to carry him safely through another week?

The situation is considerably worse for Olson. Though he’s not the first to poke fun at Guillermo's performances thus far, his comments were unprompted, their tone and intent unclear and they immediately sparked backlash from audiences. In an attempt to contain the flames, Olson deleted the comments and recruited Guillermo for a TikTok video:

In the caption, Olson apologized to Guillermo directly, taking full accountability for his actions. DWTS has significantly increased its presence on social media over the past couple years, a clear strategy shown through the majority of their contestants coming from the influencer/reality TV world the past couple years. Behind-the-scenes videos of the pros and stars doing popular internet trends have brought in a whole new generation of DWTS fans, leading to couples’ online presence (or lack thereof) having serious sway in the votes.

Olson himself isn’t new to the court of online opinion, with 2.2M followers on TikTok, and 1.2M on Instagram. It’s safe to say he’s very aware of how this situation could affect his run on DWTS, with the insider reportedly claiming Olson’s working overtime to get in Guillermo’s good graces:

Both parties involved seem eager to move on at this point, though time will tell if this hovers over Jackson Olson as the competition continues. Even though the Savannah Bananas player has been an underdog hopeful for the Mirrorball Trophy from the start, there's a chance this social media brouhaha involving Guillermo could cut his time in the ballroom short.

We will have to wait and see the fans’ final verdict when Dancing with the Stars returns this Tuesday night at 8 p.m. ET, live on ABC and streamable with a Disney+ subscription. The show is available to stream next day with a Hulu subscription.

The ballroom is heating up on Season 35 of Dancing With the Stars on the 2026 TV schedule. As the season progresses, more couples are being eliminated, and many fans have expressed shared disappointment each week seeing their favorites going home. This has led to plenty of hate for other dancers, and Jimmy Kimmel can’t help but clap back at those saying the show is rigged.

Kimmel’s beloved sidekick Guillermo Rodriguez has been a fan-favorite on Dancing With the Stars. While he and partner Witney Carson have been stuck with the lowest scores each week and are always in the “bottom three,” they still manage to scrape on by. Fans have been mad about Guillermo sticking around since he’s always at the bottom and frankly isn’t that great. Kimmel has been showing his support, though, and once again backed his co-star in a clip from Jimmy Kimmel Live!'s YouTube ahead of this week’s episode. He said:

I’m not so surprised that Kimmel’s been quick to come to Guillermo’s defense. The two have been working together for over 20 years, with Guillermo starting out as a parking lot security guard for Jimmy Kimmel Live! before ultimately appearing on the show and becoming a favorite. Each week, Kimmel shows his love and support to Guillermo, both on his show and on social media, and he makes sure to check in with him and Carson every Tuesday.

As for why so many people are hating on Guillermo, a lot of fans don’t want his time on DWTS to turn into another Andy Richter situation. The actor and comedian competed last season with Emma Slater, and plenty of fans gravitated toward him because of his age, personality, and lack of dancing skills. While he had no chance of winning, he actually lasted through the quarterfinals, placing 7^th. With a handful of incredible couples this season, people are worried the same thing will happen, and pairs that shouldn’t be going home will continue being eliminated.

Fans are already getting upset with the couples going home, but it’s an unfortunate part of the popular competition series. In Guillermo’s case, it’s unknown how much longer he’ll be staying in the ballroom. What is clear is that, while he certainly has some haters, there are plenty more people backing him up. Clearly Kimmel will be the first in line every time.

I, for one, am mixed on Guillermo. I love him, and I will always vote for him, but I’m still worried that the longer he’s in, more of my favorite couples will be eliminated. I’m still upset over Taylor Hanson and Britt Stewart’s elimination. DWTS is highly unpredictable, so who knows what will happen. And we’ll just have to see what Super Bowl Night will bring on Tuesday at 8 p.m. ET on ABC and with a Disney+ subscription.

Julia Stiles is enjoying the ride on Dancing With the Stars Season 35 and learning the perks of being a dancer rather than an actor on the 2026 TV schedule. Speaking to that point, the actress opened up about the advantages of having instant feedback and how she's not used to getting that during her "day job."

The Save the Last Dance actress caught up with ET and revealed the unexpectedly exciting perk of dancing with Ezra Sosa this season. She's a fan of the instant feedback, which she usually has to wait a lot longer for when appearing in a movie or show:

Well, she didn't learn that at Juilliard, that's for sure. Jokes aside, it's interesting to hear Julia Stiles talk about her experience on the show and the enjoyment she gets out of it. Overall, it seems like the controversies about dancers with experience and who should or shouldn't still be on Dancing With The Stars aren't impacting the fun she's having on the show.

It's good to hear Stiles is enjoying the ride, because it doesn't seem like she's going to leave DWTS anytime soon. She's in the middling portion of the lineup as it stands, but I don't think she's in any danger of elimination in the near future. I have to imagine she'll outlast Guillermo Rodriguez, whose continued run remains a surprise.

Next week is Super Bowl Week on Dancing With The Stars, but I'm most looking forward to Dedication Night the week after. I know I'm waiting to see if Julia Stiles will pay tribute to her former 10 Things I Hate About You co-star, Heath Ledger.

Of course, there are never guarantees when it comes to voting in Dancing With The Stars. Ciara Miller learned that the hard way after being eliminated the same night she posted her best dance score of the season. She was also solidly in the middle of the pack when it came to the rankings, so all I can suggest to fans is that if they want Julia to stick around, they better keep voting for her.

As someone offering suggestions for how Dancing With The Stars can revamp the series to deal with its talent disparity among contestants, it feels like it's time for the show to make a change. There has to be a way to balance the desire of people who want to see bad dancers improve while still protecting the others who have a better chance of making the finale. Is Julia Stiles one of those people? Time will tell, but it's clear that she's loving the process of learning and improving.

We can only wait and see as DWTS continues on ABC on Tuesdays at 8:00 p.m. ET. Tune in next week to see Stiles perform a jazz dance to a Jennifer Lopez classic, and a lot of other Super Bowl fun!

Dancing with the Stars is a wildly popular reality TV show, but I have to admit I'm watching it for the first time. The series (which is streaming with a Disney+ subscription) is inspiring to watch for newcomers, but there are certain things that are already getting on my nerves a bit. For viral hits night it was the judges refusal to give one-word critiques, but lately it's been about the way the contestant are introduced before their dances.

Alfonso Rubeiro has a ritual before filming each new episode, and clearly his system works because he's great at his job. My issue with his hosting isn't with his performance, but the script he's required to follow. Namely the way he introduces each celebrity ahead of their dances. Hear me out

I Can't Handle The Way The Hosts Introduce The Contestants

Before each performance, the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air star sets them up by introducing them by their profession. This is presumably in the contestants' contracts, but it still feels so clunky. For instance, he refers to Bachelorette alum Tyler Cameron as a "our TV personality and host", while Connor Wood is always "our stand-up comedian & podcaster." This leaves me trying to guess who is about to appear on our screen, rather than the celebrities simply being referred to be their names. Overall, this script just feels super technical, and for some reason it's become my biggest pet peeve when tuning into Dancing with the Stars.

This complaint might be small potatoes for hardcore DWTS fans, who didn't love what former host Tyra Banks brought to the table in the long-running competition series. Alfonso and Julianne are great at their jobs, but the script that they must use to talk about each contestant drive me nuts... especially since episodes are two hours long.

As someone who writes for a living, I get that creating a copy for TV isn't the easiest thing. I also get that these titles were likely agreed upon by each contestants' team. Still, I think that calling Maura Higgins a "Traitors finalist" would be less clunky than calling her a "Television personality & model" every week. Or better yet, we can simply refer to them by their names instead. After all, their names are what fans use to vote for their favorites every week. So why not shorten the script and make it less awkward?

I'm not saying that I'm going to actually change anything with this story, but I simply had to take to the computer and rant a bit about this specific part of every DWTS episode. I'm having a fun time overall, and love finally getting memes like the "Thanks Alfonso" one that's currently circulating online. I just wish I could make an edit or two on the show's script.

Dancing with the Stars airs new episodes Tuesdays on ABC as part of the 2026 TV schedule.

Dancing With The Stars is rolling strong on the 2026 TV schedule, and surprisingly, so is Guillermo Rodriguez. Despite many thoughts that the well-known sidekick of Jimmy Kimmel Live! would be a quick exit, he's on a run despite some of the lowest judges' scores the show has seen. It has made some fans mad and wondering how he keeps escaping each week.

The answer may be tied to Kimmel, who is putting in the work to keep him getting votes. While he may not be the defining factor in why Guillermo and partner Witney Carson keep surviving, there's no denying he's playing a part in the struggling dancer who is resulting in other people's favorites going home.

Why Are Some DWTS Fans Turning On Guillermo?

It's not uncommon for Dancing With The Stars fans to rally behind an underachieving dancer, provided they're likable and want to be there. Guillermo has a mixture, which has led to comparisons to how fans gravitated toward Andy Richter last year.

Unlike Andy, however, Guillermo is struggling even more with the dancing. So when Taylor Hanson is sent home in the same week he did his best dance yet, a chunk of DWTS fans feel upset that someone with actual potential to go far was sent packing due to an inferior dancer.

In fairness to Guillermo, this happens at various stages of Dancing With The Stars all the time. The fan voting makes the show just as much a popularity contest as it is a dance competition, and well-liked celebrities can last a very long time regardless of how they dance. It's just extra egregious when the performer staying is exceptionally bad at dancing, which is the case here.

How Jimmy Kimmel Is Helping His Sidekick

Is Guillermo staying because Dancing With The Stars fans genuinely want him there, or is Jimmy Kimmel helping his numbers with added promotion? He's been promoting Guillermo's performance on his social pages. He's even making offers to people who attend his shows in Brooklyn, offering a cash incentive should his sidekick end up winning:

Granted, this clip's statement was mainly a tongue-in-cheek jab at President Donald Trump, who made a similar remark related to the upcoming midterm elections. I'm also sure that Jimmy Kimmel is well aware that Guillermo's odds of winning Dancing With The Stars are low, despite his attempt to incentivize votes.

One simple fact is that stars who are already a part of the ABC network have historically done well when it comes to votes. As an example, out of 34 seasons of winners, four of them have come from The Bachelor franchise. I'm sure DWTS and Jimmy Kimmel Live! have some crossover in audience, which is a factor.

All this to say, I don't know if Jimmy Kimmel is the sole driving force keeping Guillermo on the show. I think it's fair to say his influence helps, as pros were even battling over the opportunity to work with him. Witney Carson won the bid and loves working with him, despite the internet thinking otherwise.

There's an argument to be made about Guillermo being a fan response to Dancing With The Stars' growing trend of inviting contestants who have professional dance training. There's an enjoyment in seeing celebrities become better dancers, but when someone is brought in who is all but assured to be there on finale night from the jump, it makes the competition seem a lot more pointless. That's not to say Harry Shum Jr. is to blame, but just something to add to the discussion of why Guillermo is still in this.

He's also just so likable, which doubtless helps. We'll see if his lucky streak continues, as Dancing With The Stars continues on ABC on Tuesdays at 8:00 p.m. ET. As a Guillermo lover, I'll still be cheering him on, but I do wonder how much longer this will go.

ABC's Dancing With The Stars has been bringing in contestants with dance experience for years, but the latest season on the 2026 TV schedule seems to have caused the discourse to bubble over. Maybe it's because Harry Shum Jr. is dazzling us with his choreography, or maybe it's because we all love Guillermo Rodriguez despite his low scores.

In any case, the judges are comparing apples to oranges in the ballroom, and we need a fix. Rather than trying to set limits on what stars can compete in and how much ballroom experience they should have, why can't we just find a way to reward the celebrities who show the most progress in a season?

Why The Bad Dancers Are The Real Stars Of DWTS

While it may be annoying to the judges or fans who tune in to see competent dancing, it's clear a lot of Dancing With The Stars fans love an underdog. One of the best parts of the show is watching someone who looked awful at the start turn into a somewhat competent dancer over the course of the show, which is why Guillermo continues to get votes week after week.

Unfortunately, that ride only lasts so long, and once there are no other "meh" dancers left, these competitors are sent away so that the "real" dancers can compete in the finale.

It's understandable, but also annoying. I would much sooner see Guillermo go from low scores to somewhat respectable numbers over the course of a season rather than Harry Shum Jr., Jojo Siwa, or Charli D'Amelio rake in high scores every week. To me, that's boring, which is why I like to keep the lower-scoring dancers around.

Dancing With The Stars Should Have An Award For Most Improved Dancer

It's fun, and even inspiring, to watch dancers like Andy Richter and Guillermo Rodriguez improve over the course of a season of Dancing With The Stars. That said, we can't sit here and act like these are people who stand a chance at a Mirrorball trophy, so might I suggest an alternative consolation? An award for the most improved dancer.

How would it work? Perhaps once a contestant is eliminated, they then continue to work with their coach as the other competitors continue on television. Then, maybe a week before the finale, we have a one-off night in which all the eliminated competitors return and showcase one final performance that shows how they've done from Week 1 to now. Then, fans pick one of those people as the season's most improved dancer, and they get some sort of prize?

It's not a perfect idea, as there may still be other dancers who are more talented in the mix, but then it would be up to the fans to vote for the award. If Dancing With The Stars fans are in agreement that the vote goes to the most improved dancer, then it should be fine. Theoretically, everyone competing on finale night should exclude any favoritism happening with the numbers, so I wouldn't be worried about someone undeserving getting the prize.

It's too late to put a plan like this into action for this Dancing With The Stars season, but hopefully I'll be able to enjoy this idea or something similar when enjoying future episodes with my Disney+ subscription. Until then, I'll be throwing my maximum ten votes to my favorite guy, Guillermo, and hoping he can show some real growth!

Dancing with the Stars pro dancer Sharna Burgess made her big return in Season 35, which is currently airing on the 2026 TV schedule. Now, after five seasons away from the series, she has ditched the blonde locks for her signature fiery red. The former champion thrilled fans with the transformation, which she debuted for “Yacht Rock Night,” dancing a jive to “Still the One” by Orleans with her Bachelor Nation partner Tyler Cameron. Now, along with being ecstatic about this, I'm also shockingly emotional about her reason for bringing back the red.

It’s a tough season to try to claim the Len Goodman Mirrorball Trophy with the level of talent among this year’s celebrity competitors, but Sharna seems focused and determined to do so. So much so that the change in hair color is part of her reconnecting with who she was before meeting fiancé Brian Austin Green and becoming a mother to their now 4-year-old son. Burgess and Green have been together since 2020, and he’s definitely been a huge supporter of her return to DWTS, which I’m sure she’s grateful for on the long days of rehearsals and the live show nights. Speaking about how her family and going back to work on this show ties into her choice to go red again, she told People:

This new, or at least recently revisited, look for the Aussie native actually came out of a collaboration with the hair care brand Amika, which was looking to develop a campaign around the pro dancer caring for her signature color. It’s fun to see her bring the familiar look and the sass that inherently comes with the red hair. And if it makes her feel that much more amazing, then she’s already won, with or without the mirrorball trophy. Burgess added:

By “this guy,” the 41-year-old Sharna means her DWTS partner Tyler Cameron. They might not be favored to win, at least this early in the season, but they do have a fun dynamic together, and he certainly seems to be putting in the hard work needed for improvement. They even have a memorable, if not a bit gross, team name, solidifying their partnership.

While the celebrities are always a big draw for viewers when it comes to DWTS, the pro dancers have developed their own fan bases over the seasons. It’s a challenging show to be on, with the physical demands, the ongoing rumors, and the injuries of varying degrees. So, this particular story with Sharna Burgess not only returning but exploring her own inner empowerment is a no-brainer to get behind. You can check out a video of her hair transformation below:

You can watch Dancing with the Stars on Tuesdays on ABC or stream it with a Disney+ subscription. We’ve got some time yet until we learn who this season’s winner will be, but Sharna and Tyler are definitely still in the running. Sure, the competition is stiff for Season 35 and there are already some frontrunners, but the pair are hoping to work their way up the leaderboard.

I first dabbled in the world of Dancing with the Stars earlier this year. I watched Dancing with the Stars: The Next Pro. It was a great introduction to the franchise because it soft-launched the concept without the full commitment of a regular season. I committed this year.

I am currently watching Dancing with the Stars Season 35 and am fully invested. This season may become one of my fall TV shows that I can’t miss. It took me so long to give the show a chance because I initially didn’t see the appeal. Now I get it.

Dancing With The Stars Is Very Inspirational

I used to watch every season of So You Think You Can Dance and American Idol. Those shows often had inspirational songs or dances. Things that moved you to pick up the phone and vote for your favorite contestants. Dancing with the Stars has these things as well. However, that’s not what I found inspirational.

It’s the idea itself. These known figures are taking a chance on something new. Even those with a dance background don’t have ballroom or competitive dance experience. This is new to everyone but the professional dancers.

As we age, we can become less whimsical and open to new experiences. Dancing with the Stars shows that we should always try new things. The risk is embarrassment, but the perk is learning something new and possibly winning the grand prize. I found that very inspirational and pushed me to leave my own comfort zone.

It Showcases the Importance Of Progress, Not Perfection

As of writing this article, Dancing with the Stars Season 35 is only in week 3. There is a lot more to come. Even in such a short time, we have seen a lot of progress from these famous people. Additionally, it’s inspiring to see improvement, even if it’s not perfect. We should always have a progress (not perfection) mindset, because the quest for perfection may slow down the learning journey.

We need to see these contestants start with lower scores and work their way up. Additionally, it’s also good to see their journey not always be upward. We need to see some weeks where they perform well, but then mess up the next week. I think seeing these contestants deal with ups and downs with their performances will encourage a lot of other people to try things that may take years to master.

Dancing with the Stars Makes It Easy To Get Attached To Certain Pros Or Contestants

Before watching Dancing with the Stars Season 35, I recognized about ten of the contestants. I knew their names and some of their work, but I wasn’t a knowledgeable fan. Now, I find myself attached to the journey of some of these contestants. I care and have opinions now about theme nights and other vital components of the show. I am already learning the history and lore, and now have a long list of past seasons that I must watch. I want to see certain celebrities’ journeys or how pros performed in the past.

I am now fully invested in the Dancing with the Stars franchise.

Stream Dancing with the Stars on Hulu.

Spoilers ahead for Season 35, Episode 4 of Dancing With the Stars, “Yacht Rock Night,” streaming now with a Disney+ subscription.

We lost another couple on Season 35 of Dancing With the Stars as the third week of competition aired on the 2026 TV schedule, and to the surprise of many, that couple was not Guillermo Rodriguez and Witney Carson. Jimmy Kimmel’s beloved sidekick has been a fan favorite for years, and even more so after his DWTS casting announcement. Despite getting the lowest scores every week, he and Carson have managed to slip through, which should be a happy moment. However, the pro is calling out the Internet after many pointed out her supposedly disappointed reaction to making it through to the next round.

Carson, who won Season 34 with Robert Irwin, announced over the summer that she is expecting her third baby with her husband, Carson McAllister. She’s competing during her second trimester and definitely killing it, even with a partner like Rodriguez, who many believe won’t last much longer on the show. Each week, however, they surprise us by avoiding elimination. This week, when Taylor Hanson and Britt Stewart were eliminated, Carson seemed shocked, but not in a happy way. After that, many took to X to share their thoughts about why they think she just wants to go home:

• Every episode I’m waiting for Witney’s reaction to staying 😂 I’m sorry but she wants to go home, and they keep staying 😂 I mean I enjoyed their dance tonight so I’m cool 🤗 #DWTS -@Natty4Sure
• Witney’s face says it all. Send the pregnant woman and the horrible dancer home. #DWTS -@itsmatthewturner
• Witneys Face when she found out she was safe 😭😭 she is TIREDD ! #dwts -@meyechelgossips
• EVEN WITNEY WANTS TO GO HOME WHATS WRONG W U PPL #dwts -@aajordayla

In just the several weeks that Carson and Rodriguez have been dancing together, it’s clear that the partnership is one for the books. They always seem like they’re having a fun time, and being at the bottom every week, I’m sure they always expect to go home. However, with the pro also being pregnant, people seem to think that she wants to be eliminated.

That is not the case. In a TikTok video, the two-time Mirrorball champ clapped back at fans who say otherwise:

Carson went on to share how grateful she is that she and Rodriguez are staying in the competition, saying that he is “genuinely” doing his best and he deserves to stay. She also made sure to note that any time she’s resting in rehearsals, he’s still practicing and doing his best. The dancer had nothing but praise for her partner, and even if it may not initially seem like it, she is excited to be in the running for the Mirrorball.

It makes sense why Carson doesn’t seem happy at first when she and Rodriguez aren’t eliminated. It’s hard to be happy when you just found out that one of your friends and colleagues was sent home, especially when you weren’t expecting it. She was specifically not happy about the latest elimination, and I can't say I blame her.

That being said, if Carson didn’t want to do DWTS while pregnant, she probably would’ve said so. And her being pregnant and doing DWTS is just further proof that women can do anything, and it’s inspiring, even if she’s not doing as much as last season. Plus, I cannot wait to see what she and Rodriguez have cooking up next.

New episodes of Dancing With the Stars air on Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET on ABC and Disney+.

Sometimes I forget this since it was over a decade ago, but from 2009 to 2015, I loyally turned into Glee on FOX every week. Somehow, completely by coincidence while watching my shows on the 2026 TV schedule in the past few days, I couldn’t help but notice not one, but two Glee reunions. I have thoughts and feelings about it, and since I can’t sing, you get this article about it.

Celebrity Weakest Link's Glee Reunion Had Me Missing The Whole Cast

On Monday, I turned in again to FOX’s Celebrity Weakest Link, which is a super fun game show where celebrities fight for money that goes to charity. Last week, the show had me unexpectedly rooting for reality TV villain Tom Sandoval. The new episode had a cast of people who’s worked with host Jane Lynch, which meant a Glee cast member got to come on. Kevin McHale, aka Artie Abrams, was on the episode, and guys it made me realize I really miss Glee. Here’s a clip from the episode:

You probably have to watch the whole episode to get it, but I could feel the family energy between Kevin McHale and Jane Lynch as the actor fought to be the strongest link on the episode. It made me think of watching all those seasons, and how each of the cast members was like family to me as they were in my household every week during six very formative years.

Then, More Came Together For Dancing With The Stars

But, that wasn’t all. Harry Shum Jr., who’s also a fan-favorite on this season of Dancing With The Stars, had a couple of the Glee family in the audience on Tuesday night. Check it out:

You guys, I wanna cry! It’s so nice to see two Glee reunions casually on my TV this week. Shum was supported by Chris Colfer and Amber Riley at the show as he got high marks on a Jive to “Steal Away.” He was tied for the top of the leaderboard with Olympic skater Amber Glenn.

Perhaps one reason I got more emotional this week in particular is because Ryan Murphy was talking about a Glee revival the week before. As he told Entertainment Tonight:

Don’t get me wrong, I was going to be over the moon about these Glee reunions with or without this context. But seeing them together in different ways has me thinking about all the covers from the show and guest stars I love and how much I’d like to see them all together again. I won’t stop believin!

Spoilers ahead for Season 35, Episode 4 of Dancing With the Stars, “Yacht Rock Night,” streaming now with a Disney+ subscription and Hulu subscription.

The 35^th season of Dancing With the Stars has been airing on the 2026 TV schedule, and the show is already getting tense. The competition is stiff this season, meaning whoever is sent home each week is going to be a heartbreaker, but it doesn't help that some less well-reviewed dancers like Guillermo keep squeaking through. Week 3 brought Yacht Rock to the ballroom, as well as the season’s biggest upset so far. One pro was not happy about Tuesday’s elimination, and I can’t blame them. Neither can the Internet.

Why The Internet, Myself, And Even Some Pros Were Bummed This Week

Despite giving audiences a beautiful foxtrot to The Doobie Brothers’ “What a Fool Believes” that earned straight 6s from the judges and marked an improvement for the pair, Taylor Hanson and Britt Stewart were sent home at the end of the night.

Their elimination came as a big surprise, both because of Hanson’s Millennial popularity and the dedicated fans being determined to get Stewart her first Mirrorball. Millennials aren't the only faction voting on DWTS, but even some of the other pros straight up wrote online she'd been "cut WAY TOO SOON." This includes Witney Carson, who took to her Instagram Story to share a very sweet message:

Carson’s comment mirrors (no pun intended) what everyone is thinking. It's worth noting she and her partner, Jimmy Kimmel Live’s Guillermo Rodriguez, have gotten the lowest scores and have been in the bottom all three weeks, including this week. I can only imagine how she feels about making it another week while her friend was eliminated.

Of course, Carson was not the only one who is calling out the votes. When their names were called, Stewart very visibly had an upset reaction, which is understandable, and on social media users have known how much Stewart has been wanting a win.

I, for one, am just as upset. As someone who watches regularly, Stewart has been one of my favorite pros for a while now, ever since she joined as a pro in Season 29. I absolutely hate that she’s never won a Mirrorball, even with her incredible choreography, and I'd thought she actually had a partner who could keep pushing the limits this year. Stewart’s been eliminated pretty early on in the last few seasons despite putting in solid work and (this year) having a solid partner. I couldn’t be more disappointed.

When Hanson and Stewart’s names were called, it was obvious the two had not been expecting an exit. Stewart looked to be going through a mix of emotions while also trying to put on a brave face. This blunt comment to the react I think is a little over the top, but it really highlights how the fanbase is feeling.

In response to the clip, user psavannahhh pointed out that Stewart tried to make sure that Hason doesn’t think she’s disappointed with him, and it only shows just how close the two have grown over the last month, making the elimination all the more heartbreaking:

On top of being upset that they’re no longer in the competition, people are also upset that fan-favorite Guillermo Rodriguez is still in.

Let's Unpack The Guillermo Of It All

Guillermo’s been Jimmy Kimmel’s beloved sidekick for years now, and arguably one of the best parts of the late-night talk show. As has happened many times in years past, he's become the "character" dancer this season that some fans root for, and it seemed the pros knew this would happen going in, as a lot of them fought for Guillermo. While there's nothing inherently wrong with enjoying Guillermo and Witney trying really hard, it does come with ramifications. Namely, eliminating better contestants.

Supermangeek101 doesn’t like that comedians like Rodriguez are staying in over people like Hanson:

People have also been pointing out that Stewart hasn’t been working with any obvious frontrunners, so she doesn’t even have a chance to get to the finals. However, co-host Julianne Hough revealed that Hanson had requested to have Stewart as his partner. That piece of information just made it all the more disappointing that they didn’t make it far, as gothkuro noted:

I love that the whole Internet is also visibly upset that Stewart and Hanson got eliminated so early. They’ve been entertaining to watch, and I felt their partnership was certainly one of the best on the show this season. It’s tough seeing Stewart getting eliminated early time and time again, but to Gracie353228, it’s much more than that:

I wish that Stewart wasn’t eliminated, and I wish we got more weeks of her and Hanson. Of course, Stewart will very much be staying on the show with her fellow eliminated pros, but the group stuff is just not the same.

With DWTS only happening once a year instead of twice a year now, there are fewer chances for her to win the Mirrorball now, too, though hopefully her popularity this season will help her work her way up the list of partners. Now people will just have to see who’s eliminated next in new episodes of Dancing With the Stars on Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.

We;re only two weeks into the competition, but the fans of Dancing with the Stars have already been criticizing Season 35's new one-word feedback responses. During the live show that hit the 2026 TV schedule, Carrie Ann Inaba, Derek Hough, and Bruno Tonioli were told by host Alfonso Ribeiro that the third judge to speak about each of the 14 celebrity dances would have to sum up their thoughts in just one word. The backlash for the one-word rule is not at all surprising, and even Hough had his own response to the situation.

DWTS is no stranger to behind the scenes drama, and fans took to social media to complain about the frustratingly limited commentary, which didn’t allow for time to explain why the one word was chosen, lest things spiral into getting scolded for trying to squeeze in more words.

The dancer-turned-judge addressed the backlash by having a little fun on Instagram and TikTok, where he added the caption, “I didn’t get the memo," to a video quoting one of Michael Scott's A+ lines from The Office, “I knew exactly what to do, but in a much more real sense I had no idea what to do.” It perfectly sums up the confusion to me, but judge for yourself in the clip below.

I found Derek Hough’s Instagram comment particularly funny:

Of course, it's not as if that word is any more nonsensical than putting the judges into that position in the first place. Comments like “beautiful” and “fabulous” are one thing, but when you use the word “shaky” to describe someone’s performance and you can't give them any context or helpful feedback about how to improve, it’s hard to know where to go from there.

Throughout the episode dubbed “Viral Hits Night," the stars and their DWTS pros danced to hugely popular songs. Some top-notch, stand-out performances came from Jenna Dewan and Val Chmerkovskiy, Ezra Frech and Daniella Karagach, and Amber Glenn and Pasha Pashkov at the top of the leaderboard. But in almost every instance, the one-word feedback created awkward pauses, either from the judges trying to figure out what to say, or by the competitors who were trying to make sense of the purposefully brief outlook.

Part of the reason it all felt so jarring was because the first week delivered a two-night competition, with only eight couples (the male celebs and their partners on night one and the female celebs and their partners on night two) dancing in each episode, allowing for some room to breathe. Cramming 14 dances into one night while still adding in troupe dances, behind the scenes glimpses, rehearsal footage, and Julianne Hough’s conversations with the performers cut time from the judges’ feedback. And with DWTS judges getting stricter, I’m not sure what the best way to balance it all is, but they should consider maybe cutting back on something other than judge responses until the number of stars has been narrowed down a bit.

We’re still a ways off from learning who will take the Season 35 Len Goodman Mirrorball Trophy home, with many themed dance nights still to come. Until then, DWTS can be streamed with a Disney+ subscription or Hulu subscription as you root on your favorite stars in anticipation of week 12’s finale, where the new winner will be crowned.

We’d barely scratched the surface on The Traitors: New Blood following its premiere on the 2026 TV schedule before the celebrities for the next iteration of the hit reality series were announced. While the whole celebrity cast of Traitors and Faithfuls are a dream for some fans, I was mostly excited for one name on the list — Whitney Leavitt. There are rumors floating around that she was a last-minute addition, but Mark Ballas is shutting them down.

Dancing with the Stars pro Mark Ballas and his celebrity partner for Season 35, Maura Higgins — who both appeared on The Traitors Season 4 — were asked about the new Traitors cast following their performance on the dance competition this week. Ballas said he was “excited” to see Whitney Leavitt’s name, as he danced with her on DWTS last season. Higgins expressed that it was difficult to give advice to future contestants, though, and Ballas agreed, telling EW:

Mark Ballas comment about knowing that Whitney Leavitt was going on The Traitors “for a while” seems to subtly debunk the rumor that the Secret Lives of Mormon Wives alum was added at the last minute before the cast announcement.

The speculation over Whitney Leavitt’s casting has to do with the timing of the announcement. Whitney’s husband Conner Leavitt was a contestant on the current season of Dancing with the Stars, partnered with DWTS: The Next Pro winner Adele Zaikman, but they were eliminated on Night 1.

Some found this timing suspicious, as it came just three days before The Traitors cast was released with Whitney Leavitt’s name on it. Was Whitney given the spot as a consolation prize, of sorts, because of her husband’s quick DWTS elimination? Was Conner’s early exit pre-determined because Whitney was headed out to Alan Cumming’s castle for filming?

I love a good conspiracy theory, but I’m inclined to call this a coincidence. In addition to Mark Ballas alleging that Whitney’s casting came a while ago, we have to consider that Conner Leavitt was not the most well-known celebrity on Dancing with the Stars Season 35.

Also, both of DWTS’ new pros — Adele Zaikman and Hailey Bills, who was partnered with reality TV star Sarah Jane Nader — were eliminated back-to-back on Nights 1 and 2 of the competition. I think a simple lack of a fan base was a big factor in Conner Leavitt’s quick exit from Dancing with the Stars.

I’ve also always thought Whitney Leavitt would be great on The Traitors, so I wasn’t surprised to see her name on the cast announcement. Anybody who’s watched The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives with their Hulu subscription has seen how she’s weaved her way in and out of different feuds as she openly aspired to a career in the entertainment business.

We’ll have to wait a bit to see how she fares on The Traitors, but in the meantime you can catch the everyday joes playing on The Traitors: New Blood, which airs at 8 p.m. ET Thursdays on NBC and streaming the next day with a Peacock subscription.

Despite putting up the second-lowest Dancing with the Stars score we've ever seen, and I mean ever, Guillermo Rodriguez is still in the competition heading into next week. It's a Festivus miracle, though it's worth pointing out sometimes the fans keep lovable-but-hopeless dancers in for the sake of fun television. That said, it remains to be seen how much longer he'll be dancing on the 2026 TV schedule, so I guess it's a good thing Jimmy Kimmel got some zingers in on his sidekick. You know, just in case.

The late night host did a bit of cross-promotion on Jimmy Kimmel Live! and had to give credit where it's due. Guillermo may not be the most talented dancer on ABC's competition series, but he's certainly making headlines, as the host noted during a recent episode.

The fans love Guillermo, or at least, his willingness to try and improve. It feels like he's on a journey similar to that of Andy Richter the previous season, who ended up advancing quite far despite his bad dancing. Hey, the people like what they like!

Jimmy Kimmel then checked in with Guillermo and DWTS pro Witney Carson live from the ballroom, ahead of their live episode in Week 2. The exchange between the host and coach was great, even if it was a little insulting to the contestant standing right beside her:

• Kimmel: "How did our tiny dancer do in practice this week? "
• Witney: "You know, he tried really hard this week. I’m actually so, so proud of him. We only called the ambulance like twice. "
• Kimmel: "I notice your strategy seems to be to dance not with Guillermo but around Guillermo."
• Witney: "Quite a smart approach, don’t you think?"

It's not a bad strategy, though one has to think Witney's tactic of doing most of the dancing and keeping Guillermo as stationary as possible will backfire eventually. That said, if you try to make them dance too much, you run the risk of them gaining the reputation of being worse than Master P was way back when.

I have wondered if Witney Carson kind of hoped Guillermo would leave in the early weeks, as she's currently pregnant. The Dancing With The Stars pro said she's planning on competing as long as it is healthy to do, so that's 100% just speculation on my part. You can see her full exchange with Kimmel, below.

To be completely candid, I don't think anyone expects Guillermo to win Dancing With The Stars. There are far better competitors in the mix. That said, whether or not he does manage to do what many feel is unthinkable, he may still end up as one of the most memorable DWTS contestants of all time.

It's a win-win for Jimmy Kimmel either way, as his show gets continued exposure on the network either way! Not that he's having much trouble with that when it comes to ABC, as his ongoing feud with the White House has resulted in major late-night ratings. Granted, he also got some help from Stephen Colbert's cancellation, and I'm sure people are tuning in to see what he says about Guillermo.

We'll see what Guillermo cooks up for Week 3 of DWTS. Yacht rock is the big theme this week, so I'm eager to hear what song they choose and if we can see a big jump in his development.

Dancing with the Stars is officially three episodes into its new season, airing on ABC and streaming with a Disney+ subscription. Some fans think Season 35 already has clear frontrunners, but I'm more of a casual fan that was roped into watching the most recent episode. While I was going along for the ride for my fiancé who is a fan, one part of Viral Hits Night was driving me absolutely nuts.

Some folks consider DWTS to be one of the best reality shows of all time, and since its only Episode 3 this week's premiere was a whopping two hours long. And while Guillermo recovered from the second worst score ever, it was the three judges who were annoying me during Viral Hits Night. Because of how many couples needed to perform and be judged, host Alfonso Ribeiro asked the third judge for each pair to sum up their performance with just one word. Unfortunately, they struggled with this assignment, with the first bunch of responses being:

• Fast, Furious, Fantastic- Derek Hough
• Beautiful, my darling- Bruno Tonioli
• Agreed, but impressive - Carrie Ann Inaba
• Good performance- Derek Hough
• What we all feel: charmed- Bruno Tonioli
• Signor, Ole!- Bruno Tonioli

That's... more than one word. Each time one of the judges would go too long, Alfonso would make a quiet remark about them failing the assignment. He seemed to be getting a little annoyed, and I have to say I understand. After all, the show airs live and has a finite amount of time for judging, especially when you factor in commercial breaks. As a rule follower myself, I couldn't believe how the three judges refused to play by the rules.

It was about halfway through Episode 3 that Hough, Toniolo, and Inaba would finally start actually using one word to describe the couples' performances. The latter was the one who started following the rules, calling Giada de Laurentiis "shaky" and Taylor Hanson "frenetic". But at that point I was already annoyed AF.

My DWTS fan fiancé was less phased by this, although he got a kick out of how long it took the trio of judges to start following directions. He said they are typically long-winded on the show, even when the hosts are trying to keep the competition running on time. Plus, part of the fun of the fan experience seems to be disagreeing with their scores. That was certainly how it felt watching the room, with Carrie Ann Inaba particularly getting some boos from the crowd. But at least she was the first judge to start using one-word descriptions of the dances.

Dancing with the Stars airs new episodes Tuesdays on ABC and Disney+ as part of the 2026 TV schedule. I'll be sure to report any other pet peeves I develop as I watch more themed nights.

Dancing with the Stars recently returned for Season 35 amid the 2026 TV schedule in a big way last week. The cast is the biggest one ever, with two new pros. Additionally, after five seasons away, Sharna Burgess returned to the ballroom! While she’s appeared on the show since her last season, Burgess is officially back as a pro. She definitely made her mark in the ballroom with partner Tyler Cameron in the two-night premiere, and Burgess is getting support from her other partner, fiancé Brian Austin Green, in the loveliest way.

Burgess and Green have been together since 2020, and they became engaged in 2023. Their relationship is definitely goals, so it’s not surprising to know that the Beverly Hills, 90210 star has been Burgess’ biggest cheerleader during her DWTS comeback. The Mirrorball champ told Us Weekly just how supportive Green had been, and it doesn’t just involve texting “Tyler” to 21523:

I absolutely love with how sweet and supportive Green is, from the moment Burgess wakes up to when she gets home from a long day of rehearsals or a long show day. As much as Burgess seemed excited to get back into the ballroom, I can only imagine how hard it’s been to be away from the family for a long time, especially if she’s waking up so early in the morning and has to spend time away from her and Green's 4-year-old son.

Of course, Green does more than just hold things down at home when his partner isn't around. He’s also been showing support in the ballroom and bringing their toddler when possible. It’s always fun seeing the families of pros and celebrity contestants cheering on their loved ones, and it sounds like Green is more than ecstatic to have her beau and their son in the audience:

Seeing Burgess back in the ballroom as a pro has been so great, and to know she has an incredible support system makes it even better. On a separate note, I would love to get Green’s opinion on Burgess and Cameron’s team name. While it may be too late to change it, Team SharT does have a unique ring to it. At the very least, fans (thankfully) don’t have to text that when they vote for them.

I wouldn’t be surprised if Burgess and Cameron managed to make it far in the competition, because just based on their first dance alone, it's evident that they're going to be tough competitors. Regardless of how long they remain in the competition, though, I imagine Green will continue to be supportive day in and day out, both at home and in the ballroom.

Fans will just have to see how far Team SharT goes in new episodes of Dancing With the Stars, which air on Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET on ABC and are streamable with a Disney+ subscription.

Best known for her dual status as a sitcom queen and a holiday movie maven, Candace Cameron Bure isn’t exactly a complete stranger to reality TV. She reached third place during Season 18 of Dancing with the Stars, and has shared her support for the show in subsequent years; more recently, she agreed to join The Masked Singer after turning down multiple offers, in part to honor Bob Saget, who competed in the first episode she ever watched. So how did she end up on Fox’s Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test?

The Full House and Fuller House vet talked with CinemaBlend to promote the fifth season of World’s Toughest Test hitting the 2026 TV schedule, where she’ll be seen alongside other celebs such as Ruby Rose, Breana Tiesi, Brandy Glanville and LeSean McCoy, to name a few. When I shared how excited I was to see her in the wild, given how unpredictable and scary the series can be, Bure explained why she agreed to compete despite turning down so many other reality TV offers. In her words:

Her reasoning there is, I think, one of the reasons why Special Forces: World's Toughest Test has been such a hit with its viewers. Nearly every other elimination-based unscripted series is set up so that all competitors are essentially in direct competition until a single winner emerges; from Survivor to 99 To Beat to Top Chef and beyond. Without that element in play, this show's competitors are able to just focus on bringing out the best in themselves. Which definitely applies to both the mental and physical spectrums, since being fatigued in either area could lead to one's downfall.

That mindset is just as important to maintain on Dancing with the Stars and other shows, but the risk factor involved with World's Toughest Test is far higher than what most reality TV stars have to cope with. With that in mind, I asked Candace Cameron Bure how important learning new life skills was to her as a deciding factor before agreeing to sign on. She told me:

Each season's episodes revolve around different themes and skillsets, such as Interrogation, Trust and Evasion. The Directing Staff instructors know how to take it to the limit, and I'm intrigued by the first two Season 5 installments being titled "Jungle Warfare" and "Duty." (I don't even know what I'd want to learn about myself by way of jungle warfare, if I can be blatantly honest. Maybe "how I'd escape jungle warfare the quickest?")

Luckily, as someone who has faced different kinds of adversities both inside and outside of Hollywood, Bure isn't the kind of person who backs down from something simply because it seems intimidating on the surface. Rather, the fear factor was another foundational reason for her to say yes. She explained:

I'd love to get a count on how many people would turn down the chance to be on Special Forces simply because they wouldn't be able to use their phones or tablets during the production. Which I totally get is a real concern, as would be the lack of private baths and restroom facilities, the lack of snack-filled pantries and fridges, and more creature comforts.

For all that the heights and jungle setting in Malaysia and other natural elements would be concerning, I think I'd personally also have the minor but pulsating fear of competing alongside world-class athletes whose physical prowess eclipse mine to the point where I have to voluntarily drop out of the show due to shame. But that's just me.

Join us in seeing how things shake out for Candace Cameron Bure when Special Forces: World's Toughest Test Season 5 makes its debut on Fox on Thursday, September 24, at 9:00 p.m. ET, with new episodes available to stream the next day via Hulu subscription.

Dancing With the Stars Season 35 is in full swing on the 2026 TV schedule. The two-night premiere brought the heat to the ballroom, and the competition is stiff. There are already some frontrunners, too, including The Rookie star Jenna Dewan, and she's paired with Val Chmerkovskiy. Notably, her pro's wife, Jenna Johnson, is also on the show, and she's paired with Grey’s Anatomy star Harry Shum Jr. Not surprisingly, now that Chmerkovskiy has two Jennas in his life, he has given Johnson a funny nickname.

It’s not uncommon for DWTS to have more than some cast members, whether celebrity or pro, who have the same name. On Season 35 alone, there are three pairs of people who share the same name, including Johnson and Dewan. Dewan just so happens to be with Johnson’s hubby, and I can only imagine it can sometimes get a bit confusing, especially if they’re all in the same room. Hilariously enough, Chmerkovskiy already has a nickname for his two-time Mirrorball champ wife, as he told EW:

I am absolutely obsessed with them, and I love how much fun they’re having with it. Dewan even admitted that she and Johnson are going to play on the same-name situation for as long as she’s on the show, and I really hope that means TikToks with the two Jennas. Not only do they have the same first name, but they also look kind of similar, making the whole thing even better.

Even with Dewan also working on The Rookie while doing DWTS, I would guess that she’s going to make it pretty far, especially if her moves in Step Up are any indication. I would love to see her make it to the finals, and maybe even win. Along with me thinking she's a true contender, I also think that the farther she goes, the more she’s going to play into the Jenna-squared scenario, and I desperately need more of Jenna Dewan and Jenna De-wife.

Meanwhile, Chmerkovskiy has opened up about the challenges of having Dewan as a dance partner, noting that due to her dance experience, there are going to be some high expectations. So he’s going to push her and himself, and it’s not going to be easy. Dewan, however, is excited for the challenge. Between all the rehearsals and The Rookie, she is really going to be pushing herself, but I know it’s going to be worth it.

This season of Dancing With the Stars is already so fun and so intense, and I cannot wait to see how these next two months go. Hopefully, Dewan makes it far, and not just because I need more content of her and Johnson. New episodes of DWTS air on Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET on ABC and with a Disney+ subscription.

There have been so many memories shared about Dolly Parton over the past few weeks since the music legend passed away on August 25 at the age of 80. Dancing with the Stars offered its own tribute when Season 35 premiered on the 2026 TV schedule. That happened because Julia Stiles and her pro partner Ezra Sosa danced a quickstep to Parton’s “9 to 5,” and the actress revealed how the singer herself helped the number come together.

“9 to 5” is one of Dolly Parton’s most well-known songs, and it was written for the comedy of the same name in which Parton starred with Lily Tomlin and Jane Fonda. The plan for Julia Stiles to open her DWTS journey with the iconic song was in the works before the singer’s death, as Stiles revealed on the second night of Season 35’s two-part premiere. She said:

Thank goodness Dancing with the Stars was able to get one last request in to Dolly Parton, because the moment ended up serving as a beautiful tribute to the singer that had Julia Stiles’ fellow contestants in tears afterward.

I can only imagine how much it must have meant to the 10 Things I Hate About You star to know that Dolly Parton had cleared the song specifically for her to dance to, even if Parton wasn’t around to see her and Ezra Sosa’s performance. It’s yet another example — like that secret song that's locked away in a vault — that ensures Parton’s legacy is going to live on for a long, long time.

As for the dance itself, the judges had some technical critiques for Julia Stiles, which is to be expected after a first performance, but they all had lovely things to say about the actress. Carrie Ann Inaba called Stiles “radiant,” and Derek Hough said it was a “beautiful, fantastic dance,” adding:

Derek Hough also said Andy Cohen could “Eat it,” after a clip was played of the Bravo host shading Julia Stiles’ dance moves last year, saying: “Can we all just agree that Julia Stiles is not the greatest dancer on the planet?”

Andy Cohen’s criticism was in regard to her 2001 movie Save the Last Dance, in which she plays a student at the Juilliard school of dance. Even Juilliard clarified that Julia Stiles was never enrolled at the school, after there seemed to be some confusion about whether or not she was classically trained.

Anyway, all roads lead back to Dolly Parton (as they should), and just as Parton was told she “couldn’t act” by the Steel Magnolias director, I’m excited to see Julia Stiles continue to grow on Dancing with the Stars. Thanks in part to Dolly Parton approving her song for the show, Stiles has one week under her belt.

Tune in to see how far Julia Stiles and Ezra Sosa go when DWTS Season 35 continues at 8 p.m. ET Tuesday, September 22, on live ABC and with a Disney+ subscription.

Warning! The following contains spoilers from the Dancing with the Stars Season 35 Night 1 premiere. Watch the premiere with a Disney+ subscription and read at your own risk!

Dancing with the Stars' premiere was so big that it had to be split into two nights and, at the same time, the ABC reality competition series also made history. Granted, it's a record he may not be too proud of, as Guillermo Rodriguez was awarded the second-lowest score the dancing series has ever awarded. It may not have been the record fans expected when the premiere date was announced for the 2026 TV schedule and, personally, I think giving the Jimmy Kimmel Live! sidekick such a low score is a bit harsh. Especially after looking back at a competitor with a lower score.

What Guillermo Lacked In Skill, He Made Up For With Effort And Charisma

Guillermo and Witney Carson kicked off their Dancing with the Stars run with a cha-cha-cha to "Mr. Big Stuff" by Jean Knight, complete with jumping and gyrating motions. The judges commended Guillermo for bringing his personality to the dance floor, but it was going to take a lot more than that to outlast the more talented competitors this season. He was awarded a ten out of thirty, with Carrie Ann Inaba gifting him a four, while Derek Hough and Bruno Tonioli gave him three each.

The crowd didn't agree with the low score and responded in kind by booing. I got the vibe that he's going to have a run similar to Andy Richter's time on DWTS, as the latter also struggled a lot with dance routines. Guillermo's passion and enthusiasm helped him outlast Conner Leavitt, but we'll see if that continues when he's up for elimination again in Week 2.

Master P Still Holds The Record For Lowest Score, And It's Well-Deserved

There's only one person who has ever gotten a score lower than Guillermo on Dancing with the Stars and, after reviewing it, I can say Master P may never be topped. He was a contestant all the way back in Season 2 and did so poorly in a routine he was awarded an eight out of thirty.

In his defense, Master P was a last-minute fill-in for his son, "Lil'" Romeo Miller, who was originally slated to compete on DWTS, but he suffered a basketball injury. As a result, he was unprepared to compete in the ballroom, and his early-week performances showed the effort was never really there.

It all came to a head in Week 4, when he and pro Ashly DelGrosso, presumably upset about weeks of low scores, delivered a sloppy performance that gave the impression that they hardly tried. The score might've been lower had Carrie Ann not been gracious with a four, but the fact that the second-lowest performance of that night was a twenty-one should say enough about how bad this was.

To bring this full circle, I can't watch this most recent performance and say that Guillermo's was only two points better. If there's clear effort to get the moves right and there's genuine passion, I think he was worthy of a score closer to fourteen. We'll see if he can bump that number up the next time he performs, and if Witney Carson can whip him into shape and make him a competent ballroom dancer.

Dancing with the Stars continues with another night on ABC and, this time, it's going to be all of the women celebrities competing tonight. I know some people think Julia Stiles is a bit of an underdog heading into this episode, so I'll be curious to see how she does.

It’s finally Dancing with the Stars premiere week on the 2026 TV schedule, and the competition is as stiff as ever for Season 35. The couples are in the thick of rehearsals ahead of the two-night premiere and, even with the amount of TikToks many of them have been posting, they’re all hard at work. While stars typically lose weight on DWTS with all that training, that's not always the case. I'm surprised to learn that one current contestant has actually gained weight.

Training for a show like DWTS is not easy, given all of the hours of rehearsals and the injuries that might come with it. Summer House alum Ciara Miller, who is partnered with Brandon Armstrong, revealed to Lance Bass and E! News that rehearsals have been crazy and not at all that pleasant. Even though Bass, who competed during Season 7, shared he “lost 20 pounds” while on the show, the same cannot be said for Miller, at least for now:

Miller did say that she had been bulking up since rehearsals began, but it’s still surprising to hear that she’s been gaining instead of losing weight. However, the season hasn’t even fully started yet, so it’s quite possible that she’ll shed some pounds the longer she and her partner stay in. If anything, it sounds like Armstrong has not been going easy on her, and I cannot wait to see how all that work translates to their performance in the premiere.

Over the years, like Miller, plenty of contestants have spoken about their weight in relation to the training and competition. For instance, like Bass, Alyson Hannigan lost 20 pounds while competing on the show during Season 32. It was both emotional and physical baggage, but it was still pretty impressive. Plenty of other celebrities have lost a lot of weight on the show and, when I think about it, competing on the show, seems like a good way for someone to stay trim.

It’s no secret that rehearsing for Dancing with the Stars can be intense. Across the seasons, many competitors have gotten hurt at one point, with some of those injuries being minor and others being more serious. Last season, Andy Richter didn’t hold back on the training, admitting he had to ice his knees every hour. He also stated that it wasn’t “just exercise, it was borderline abuse.” He was still a fan-favorite with Emma Slater, and the pair made it far. So I applaud him for sticking to it because it does not sound easy.

With the DWTS season finally around the corner, I'm excited to see what Ciara Miller does. I'm also curious as to whether she'll eventually provide a training update and say that she's lost weight. The two-night Season 35 premiere of Dancing with the Stars airs on Tuesday and Wednesday at 8 p.m. ET on ABC and streams with a Disney+ subscription.

Dancing With the Stars Season 35 is heating up on the 2026 TV schedule, and the two-night premiere hasn’t even happened yet. Following the cast announcement, the celebrity contestants and pros have been hard at work in rehearsals and on social media getting fans hyped. One way the cast has been getting fans hyped is by revealing team names. Sharna Burgess and Bachelorette star Tyler Cameron’s name is wild, and I can’t believe a shirt was even made to promote it!

Burgess’ return to DWTS is already entertaining, and the team name really is just icing on the cake. She took to TikTok over the weekend to give fans an update on how rehearsals are going, while Cameron was behind her trying to get the attention on himself. It wasn’t very hard, as he was wearing a custom-made shirt with their faces on it, with Team SharT written on it, and omg.

Hilariously enough, Burgess doesn’t seem to have any input with the team name, saying multiple times in the video to ignore whatever Cameron was doing or wearing. She even put in the caption to “ignore the attire.” Team SharT does include both their names in a roundabout way, but the implication is also pretty gross. So, I can see why Burgess may want nothing to do with the name. Regardless, I can’t stop laughing.

She might be stuck with the catchy name too. It’s premiere week, and it might be a little too late to get a new team name. Plus, now Team SharT is on a shirt, it's pretty much official, no matter how much Burgess tries to deny it.

Dancing with the Stars fans know the team name can be pretty important, and many fans use the name to vote, as well as differentiate between the celebrity + pro couples. I can't imagine the conversation they had landing on SharT, but at least it's pretty memorable.

Meanwhile, the competition is stiff for Season 35. There are already some frontrunners we've been talking about at CinemaBlend, though usually each season has a a few surprises. As for how far Team SharT could go, we'll have to wait and see. Plenty of Bachelor Nation stars have competed on DWTS, with a handful of them either winning or making it to the finals. While it’s been five seasons since Burgess was on DWTS, this could be just the comeback she needs.

Fans will get a taste of what Team SharT --I still can't believe I'm typing that -- has to offer in the two-night Season 35 premiere of Dancing With the Stars, and it will be exciting to see what they bring to the ballroom. DWTS returns this Tuesday and Wednesday at 8 p.m. ET on ABC and with a Disney+ subscription. New episodes will then air on Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET.

As I think about the cast that’s about to compete in the 2026 TV schedule’s season of Dancing with the Stars, there are some very – and I mean very – obvious frontrunners. However, there are always surprise stars among the cast. So, with that in mind, let's discuss three contestants in Season 35 that I think we need to keep an eye on.

Again, it feels like a given that Jenna Dewan and Harry Shum Jr. could win DWTS. They both have extensive dance experience and passionate fans. While their experience has been met with backlash, there’s also a ton of excitement surrounding them and their potential. Although there are plenty of other stars in this ensemble who could tear up in the ballroom too.

Jackson Olson

So, Jackson Olson’s casting on DWTS was announced early, which got me hyped. Immediately, I saw the potential in this Savannah Banana. Not only is he an athlete, but he’s an athlete who dances during his baseball games. Plus, his ability to commit to the bit is sure to help him in this competition.

To top it off, he’s paired with Emma Slater, an absolute social media beast, a very fun personality, and the woman who helped get Andy Richter quite far in the competition last year. I’m sure she’ll bring out the best in Olson, and between the two of them, I really think they’ll be a couple to watch.

Amber Glenn

As I said, athletes tend to do well on DWTS, and Olympic figure skaters specifically have a history of being successful. Case in point: Adam Rippon, Meryl Davis and Kristi Yamaguchi have all won the Mirrorball Trophy. That puts Amber Glenn, who became a gold medalist at the 2026 Olympics, in a great place.

She’s also partnered with Pasha Pashkov, who hasn’t won the show before. I’ve always wanted to see him take home the trophy, and I feel like he has the chance to really thrive with Glenn.

Connor Wood

Do you want to know what I’ve learned from watching the more recent seasons of Dancing with the Stars? Never underestimate the internet personalities. I mean, last year, Alix Earle was a frontrunner all season and ended up being the runner-up. I think Connor Wood, aka Fibula on social media, has the chance to do well too.

First of all, he’s paired with Rylee Arnold, a TikTok star who has had success on the show. Secondly, Wood, who is a comedian and hosts Brooke and Connor Make a Podcast, has gone viral online numerous times and has made it clear that he’s going to “lean in” to this experience. So, when you mix his and Arnold’s online presences, his humor and his commitment to the process, I think he could easily become a fan favorite.

Overall, there are always surprise contenders on DWTS, so we really shouldn’t count anyone out. However, these three are the ones I think we really need to watch out for (alongside the obvious frontrunners) when the dance competition returns on ABC and for those with a Disney+ subscription on Steptember 15 at 8 p.m. ET.

There have been a few Mormon Wives on Dancing with the Stars; however, I didn’t realize the street could go both ways. The key word there is could, though, because at this point, it hasn’t happened. However, it was an option at one point, because a pro dancer from the reality competition admitted she was once approached to do Secret Lives of Mormon Wives.

As we approach the premiere of DWTS Season 35 on the 2026 TV schedule, pro Witney Carson spoke about how she was also approached to be part of a different reality show. This comes one season after SLOMW’s Whitney Leavitt and Jen Affleck competed on the dance competition. So, it was kind of wild to hear Carson speak about her connection to their show, as she told People:

Carson and her family are Mormon, and both she and her husband are from Utah. So, she fits the general bill for Secret Lives of Mormon Wives. In fact, quite a few Dancing with the Stars pros are from Utah and come from Mormon backgrounds, including Lindsay and Rylee Arnold, Jenna Johnson, and Julianne and Derek Hough.

So, there are many folks who are part of DWTS who have a similar upbringing to the women who lead the reality series that you can watch with a Hulu subscription.

In fact, Carson grew up knowing Whitney Leavitt. Explaining that they used to compete against each other at dance competitions, the longtime pro said:

Well, last season of DWTS really was a crossover event that, I guess, could have happened earlier if Carson had said yes to Secret Lives of Mormon Wives.

Now, I am curious to know if she was asked again for SLOMW’s spinoff series, Secret Lives of Mormon Wives: Orange County. Carson does spend a lot of time in Southern California because of Dancing with the Stars, so it’s not like it’d be a stretch. However, it sounds like she’s going to stick to the ballroom.

Speaking of the ballroom, Witney Carson is set to return to it for Season 35, and she’ll be competing with Jimmy Kimmel’s beloved sidekick Guillermo Rodriguez. This is all happening on the heels of the pro winning Season 34 with Robert Irwin. And notably, that season was the one that featured Leavitt and Affleck from Mormon Wives; meanwhile, the upcoming season will see Leavitt’s husband, Conner, competing for the mirrorball trophy.

So, Carson did get to work with some of the Mormon Wives, and will get to work with another Leavitt. Now I’d love to see her make a cameo on the reality show. However, for now, I’m just excited to see her back in the ballroom, and I’ll be tuned in to the DWTS Season 35 premiere on Steptember 15 (you can watch it on ABC or with a Disney+ subscription). Meanwhile, you can stream the newest season of The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives on Hulu.

Actor Zac Efron grew up before our eyes, becoming a household name thanks to starring in the High School Musical movies (which are streaming with a Disney+ subscription). But in recent years his younger brother Dylan Efron has also become a celebrity, largely thanks to winning The Traitors Season 3 and showing off his fitness on Dancing with the Stars. Zac's own fitness is the stuff of legend, and recently his trainer posted a photo showing off his huge bicep. Naturally, Dylan took to social media to drop his own very buff photo dump.

Dylan Efron's star power has been steadily growing in recent years. After The Traitors (streaming with a Peacock subscription), he also competed on Dancing with The Stars. Not one to be left of out of thirsty discourse, Efron posted on Instagram, including some shirtless pictures on a boat. Check it out for yourself below:

Holy abs. I guess there's a reason why Dylan Efron was nominated for Sexiest Man Alive, because he's looking absolutely ripped. And who doesn't love a little healthy competition between two famous brothers? We'll just have to wait and see if Zac posts his own set of ab-oriented photos in response.

Dylan posted the above photo dump for his whopping 1.7 million Instagram followers, with the caption reading simply "taking it easy." It certainly looks like the end of his summer has been a fun one, including boat trips, rounds of golf, and cuddles with his puppy. Still, his abs are the real star of the show, and the comments section is filled with folks thirsting over the Traitors winner. Some of the responses include:

• "The audacity for this to show up on my feed rn."
• "I’d like to personally thank whoever took the first photo."
• "Honest to God you guys I’m married. But yeah. Yes."
• "How do I get to be one of the women on the boat." 😂
• "First pic is what you see when heaven’s gates open."

Well, it's clear this photo dump was effective, but I guess that's an Efron family value; Zac is known for posting viral shirtless content as well. And they're both bonafide Hollywood sex symbols at this point.

Both of these brothers clearly put a ton of work into their physique, and it shows. And while Zac Efron admits he pushed his body too hard for Baywatch, he's remained yoked in the years that have passed. I'm curious if these two ripped brothers are competitive at all about their fitness. What's everyone PR? What do they bench? I need more information!

Dylan Efron will return to reality TV shortly as part of the cast of Squid Game: The Vip Challenge, competing alongside the likes of Spice Girls' Mel B and Real Housewives Of Atlanta's Kim Zolciak-Biermann.

Dancing With the Stars Season 35 is coming soon to the 2026 TV schedule, and the cast is making waves. Beloved actress Julia Stiles will be competing in the ballroom with pro partner Ezra Sosa, and the two are already becoming favorites with fans. It’s not all positive popularity, though, as Juilliard shaded the actress for one little thing, and now she’s setting the record straight.

When it comes to DWTS, fans are divided in terms of whether celebrities with dance experience should be allowed to compete. Following the cast announcement last week, some people were pointing out that Stiles went to the prestigious Juilliard School for dance. However, what a lot of people haven’t been getting is that it was merely a reference to her classic 2001 film Save the Last Dance. In fact, Juilliard even confirmed that Stiles did not actually attend the performing arts conservatory on Instagram.

Stiles herself is setting the record straight now. She and Sosa spoke to E! News about people thinking that she actually went to Juilliard. They mentioned that Juilliard commented, with Sosa admitting it was a bit shady. Stiles confirmed that she did not attend the prestigeous university. And what makes the whole situation even better is that the school wasn’t even really on her mind back then:

I’m sure it’s both amusing and annoying for Stiles to have people so divided on this topic when it all stems from a movie she did 25 years ago. Of course, her dance moves have been a topic before, and it’s not just people truly thinking she went to Juilliard. The Internet has been shading Stiles’ dance moves from Save the Last Dance, but luckily her co-star Kerry Washington came to her defense last year. The Scandal star also praised the film’s choreographer Fatima Robinson, who has worked with high-profile artists such as Michael Jackson, Aaliyah, and the Backstreet Boys.

Even though Stiles doesn’t have actual Juilliard training, it wouldn’t be surprising if she managed to make it far in the competition. She and Sosa are already capturing fans’ hearts with their TikToks, and I cannot wait to see what they have cooking up this season. I also wouldn’t be surprised if one or two of their dances were to take from Stiles’ Save the Last Dance character, Sara Johnson.

Fans will just have to see how the two do when DWTS returns. The Season 35 premiere of Dancing With the Stars airs on Tuesday, September 15, and Wednesday, September 16, at 8 p.m. ET on ABC and with a Disney+ subscription. The competition is as stiff as ever this season, and there is no telling who will be taking home the Len Goodman Mirrorball Trophy.

It’s September, which means it’s finally Dancing with the Stars season on the 2026 TV schedule. Season 35’s cast is completely stacked with Olympians, Paralympians, reality stars, actors, musicians and influencers. So there are plenty of people angling to take home the Len Goodman Mirrorball Trophy this fall, but one celebrity unsure of her skills is Maura Higgins. And it doesn’t help that her partner Mark Ballas gave her a brutally honest review.

Higgins was one of the first celebrities announced for Season 35. Not long after the announcement, she revealed that she wanted her Traitors buddy, Ballas, to be her partner, but she would have been fine with just about anyone, with one exception. Luckily, the Love Island UK star’s wish came true, and the partnership has come with some tough love. While speaking with People (as seen on TikTok), the duo talked about how things have been going. Ballas revealed that Higgins wondered how horrible she is with her dancing, and she was definitely not expecting his answer:

• Mark Ballas: During the run, she was like, ‘Oh, I want to do Dancing with the Stars.’ I was like, ‘Maura, you can’t make it through a 45-minute challenge. How are you going to make it through ten hours of rehearsal? On our first day after rehearsal, she turned to me. She was like, ‘Mark, on a scale of 1 to 10, how shit am I?’
• Maura Higgins: You didn't really answer me.
• Ballas: A four.
• Higgins: A four?! That's so bad.
• Ballas: I’m joking. She’s a true beginner, so we’re building it brick by brick.

Considering Higgins really bonded with Ballas on The Traitors, it’s not surprising that they would have a playful relationship, and I absolutely love it. I can only imagine how both fun and serious their rehearsals are, and I'm eager to get more insight into that. If anything, though Ballas doesn’t seem to mind building up Higgins’ dance skills from the ground up, and it will be exciting to see how far they’re able to make it.

That being said, it’s not like Higgins came into the show with absolutely zero dancing skills. Over the summer, Val Chmerkovskiy was whipping Higgins into shape, and she really put in the work. The two were dancing together and, if she didn’t end up being partners with Ballas, it would have been fun to see her with Chmerkovskiy. Yet now I need DWTS to bring back Switch-Up Week so I can truly see her dancing with him.

Ahead of Higgins’ addition to DWTS, plenty of pros were campaigning to get a different Traitors contestant on the show. During the DWTS tour earlier this year, Ezra Sosa and Hailey Bills kickstarted a campaign to get Season 4 winner Rob Rausch in the ballroom. Ballas jumped on the train, having had a bromance with Rausch on that reality competition series. Rausch himself hilariously declined since he “can’t move like that,” but I wouldn’t be surprised if he still wound up in the ballroom to cheer on his pals this season.

Regardless of her dance skills, Higgins has some pretty tough competition. There's no way of knowing who will be winning the big prize for Season 35 but, luckily, fans won’t have to wait much longer to get a taste of their favorites. Dancing with the Stars' special two-night premiere will air on Tuesday, September 15, and Wednesday, September 16, at 8 p.m. ET on ABC and will be streamable with a Disney+ subscription.

There are a few competitors on Dancing with the Stars' 35th season who have extensive dance experience. It obviously gives them an advantage; however, it also presents a challenge they have to face head-on. Jenna Dewan is one of the stars set to deal with just that, and her partner, Val Chmerkovskiy, opened up about the “challenge” of being partnered with her and why he’s excited to face it on the 2026 TV schedule.

Stars like Jenna Dewan and Harry Shum Jr. are early DWTS frontrunners in my book, because they have professional dance experience. However, while that’s likely making rehearsals easier for them, they still have an uphill battle when it comes to competing on this show. One of those challenges is the expectations they’ll have to manage from the audience. That’s specifically the challenge Chmerkovskiy pointed out too, as he told EW:

Before he could continue, The Rookie actress hopped in to say that this was “many years ago.” However, that does not diminish how good she is, and it sets the bar high for the pair. That excites Chmerkovskiy, though, as he stated:

A common debate among DWTS fans is in regard to whether stars with dance experience should be allowed on the show. So, both Dewan and Shum have been defending their casting, noting that their experience is not in ballroom dance. Plus, this show is a different kind of beast, so they still have a lot to learn.

However, there’s no denying that they do have an advantage because of their history, and therefore, the bar for them is higher. I mean, I’ve seen Step Up; I know how good Jenna Dewan is. So, yes, I already expect her to be very good. I know other fans feel the same way. Those expectations create a challenge that she has to live up to, and that’s the point her partner was making.

It’s a good challenge, though, and it’s one I’m excited to see them live up to. Along with Dewan and Shum, the DWTS cast is stacked with people who have the potential to make a deep run in the show. From Olympians like Amber Glenn and Ezra Frech to iconic actress Julia Stiles to Savannah Bananas baseball player Jackson Olson, the cast is full of exciting people who are here to compete.

Now, to see if Jenna Dewan and these other stars live up to the challenge, you can catch the two-night premiere of Dancing with the Stars on Tuesday, September 15 and Wednesday, September 16, on ABC or with a Disney+ subscription at 8 p.m. ET.

I was so excited when Jenna Dewan was announced as a contestant on Season 35 of Dancing with the Stars. However, not long after that, I started to wonder how exactly she’d balance the competition with her work on The Rookie, both of which will be filming this fall. I also wondered if she’d take a hiatus from the ABC drama. Thankfully, we quickly got answers about how her dancing will impact her part on The Rookie.

While Dancing with the Stars is airing on the 2026 TV schedule, Season 9 of The Rookie will be filming, with the intention of premiering in early 2027. So, how will the reality competition impact Dewan’s role on the drama? Here’s what she told TV Insider:

While this sounds incredibly hard, it’s by no means impossible. That’s especially true because both DWTS and The Rookie are ABC shows. So, it’s not like they’re competing; in fact, this feels like it’s all great promo for both projects. Therefore, I totally understand why the shows are being flexible with Dewan’s time.

Now, let’s get into some production details. The Rookie's cast and crew started filming Season 9 earlier this summer, and it will launch early next year with a superzied premiere, per Deadline. Meanwhile, rehearsals have started for DWTS, and Dewan will perform her first dance with her partner Val Chmerkovskiy on Wednesday, September 15.

Dancing with the Stars will actually have a two-night premiere on September 15 and 16, and you can watch both episodes at 8 p.m. ET either on ABC or with a Disney+ subscription. After that, Dewan and co. will get on the schedule of preparing a dance every single week and then performing live.

While we can’t predict the future, it feels possible that the Step Up actress could make a deep run in this show. She has dance experience and a partner who has a history of making it a long way into the show (Val and his partner Alix Earle were frontrunners last season, and made it to the finale). Therefore, it’s possible that Dewan could be competing for over two months while also filming The Rookie.

Thankfully, both shows are filmed in Los Angeles, which should make all this more manageable, and again, they air on the same network, which will help.

I am curious to see if Dewan’s role in part of Season 9 is smaller than we’re used to, just because she will be splitting time between two shows. However, we won’t know if that happens for a while.

Speaking of things we’ll get to learn more about down the line, her dance partner, Val, did say he’d be down to do a cameo on The Rookie. Dewan also made it clear to him that her co-stars want to learn some dance moves. So, I guess we can expect at least some BTS crossover!

Now, to see how all this works out, and to watch Jenna Dewan give it her all on both shows, you can catch the premiere of Dancing with the Stars on September 15, and you can stream The Rookie on Disney+ or with a Hulu subscription ahead of Season 9’s premiere.