It’s still winter, but the new season of Dancing with the Stars is two months away and plans are still underway for season 24, which will include the show’s 400th episode. In a new interview with Glamour, DWTS executive producers discussed when the show will return to ABC and what fans can expect from the cast, including the pros.
Season 24 will kick off Monday, March 20 at 8/7c on ABC, which is hardly a surprise as nearly every single spring season of DWTS premieres in the third week of March. However, more important is the news on which pros will appear, and which one definitely won’t.
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According to Glamour, executive producer Rob Wade sid that pro Derek Hough will not be competing as a pro for season 24. Of course fans have heard that before, only to have Derek return at the last second, but this time is different. “I can guarantee you he won’t be back,” Wade told Glamour. This is due largely to his new Move tour with sister Julianne Hough, which will run throughout the spring.
The Move tour does take Mondays off, which is why Julianne Hough may be available to show up once a week as a judge though she’s not confirmed. But the demanding schedule will not allow Derek to have time to rehearse with a partner.
With no Derek Hough, and Maks and Peta being new parents, there might be a few openings when it comes to the pros. The executive producers revealed that they’re still working on deals for season 24, but Mark Ballas’ Broadway run in Jersey Boys comes to an end this week, meaning he could easily be back.
Also interesting is the news that the show has apparently already lined up half of its season 24 stars, with other offers still going out. Obviously the official cast won’t be revealed for a while, but the EPs stressed that, following a tense election and a divided country, they’re looking for positive stars everyone can root for with a focus on nostalgia and Americana (which fits most of who the show normally casts).
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They also revealed that they intentionally leave a few spots empty for last-minute cast additions based on headlines and what’s happening at that time (Alek Skarlatos being a perfect example of that). And as always, the latest Bachelor, Nick Viall, is rumored to be in talks to join the cast. But that happens every single season.
Are you sad Derek Hough won’t be on season 24? What other pros would you like to see return? And which stars are you hoping to see? Find out as a new crop of stars take to the ballroom when Dancing with the Stars returns for season 24 on Monday, March 20.
Source: Glamour
(Image courtesy of ABC)
Senior Writer, BuddyTV
John watches nearly every show on TV, but he specializes in sci-fi/fantasy like The Vampire Diaries, Supernatural and True Blood. However, he can also be found writing about everything from Survivor and Glee to One Tree Hill and Smallville.
