Dancing with the Stars is certainly known for recruiting a myriad of public figures from different disciplines to join seasons. Among those typically chosen to take part in the competition for the Mirrorball Trophy are athletes. However, I wasn't expecting to hear that a member of the Savannah Bananas would be in the ballroom when DWTS returns for its 35th season amid the 2026 TV schedule. And the star in question is baseball player and influencer Jackson Olson!
This confirmation comes after it recent rumors saying that the Olson might be joining the show, and the news was met with a lot of excitement. Check out the announcement:
The confirmation comes days after a video post from Olson on Instagram. In the clip, there's a caption that poses the question of when Olson will finally "share the secret" he's been keeping. As can be seen in the post below, the media personality simply dances in response to that query:
I never would've thought about someone from the Banana Ball Championship League competing on Dancing with the Stars, but it makes total sense. The Savannah Bananas and other Banana Ball teams are a hot commodity in the world of sports right now, with games selling out nationwide.
Not only that, but the league has a deal where those with a Disney+ subscription can watch select Banana Ball games during its season. Having Olson on DWTS could create some real brand synergy, which the long-running competition show (and the House of Mouse as a whole) seems to like doing. To that point, stars from The Bachelor and Disney Channel have also competed on the program over the years.
Jackson Olson's latest Instagram post may not have raised many eyebrows about his DWTS involvement, especially considering that Savannah Bananas players are known for dancing on the field. What made it more suspicious, however, was a recent comment from judge Derek Hough, who reacted to this caption from the player on Instagram weeks ago:
I have been so happy the last couple months and everything feels so new and exciting for the first time in a long time. My life is going to change a lot in the next year but in the best ways possible (yes there are a couple ways 👀) and I can’t wait to share all of it with you soon. But for now I’m taking life day by day and enjoying every moment. I promise I’ll stop being so mysterious soon but you’re gonna have to wait a little while longer😉 Okay now I gotta go play baseball see ya guys later✌🏼
Hough replied with the eyeballs emoji, which felt suspicious, considering Olson also used it while discussing the "couple of ways" his life may change. Was the intention to put people on the trail of DWTS? It's uncertain whether it was or not, but people seemed to think that's on the table. And it turns out, it was.
Only a few other celebrities are officially confirmed for Dancing with the Stars Season 35 right now. Reality star Maura Higgins is one of them, after (literally) securing a bag after Rob Rausch fooled her on The Traitors.
DWTS will also welcome Ciara Miller, known for her role on Summer House and for her appearance on The Traitors. Also, there are rumblings of Olympic athletes being thrown into the mix, especially since pro Rylee Arnold collaborated with figure skaters during the winter games. However, gold medalist Alyssa Liu doesn't seem interested in competing at this time, but who knows if she might change her mind!
Fans can also look forward to a spinoff this summer, which will award one professional dancer the chance to be a DWTS pro on the upcoming season. There are fun times ahead for those looking forward to the ABC series, and I'm so excited that it will include a Savannah Banana busting a move in the ballroom instead of the baseball field.
Dancing with the Stars will return to ABC and Disney+ during Fall 2026 (and will be taking High Potential's time slot, no less). I'm eager to learn the full cast as well as which pros are going to be featured in this upcoming season!
