What do a major league athlete, a Grammy award-winning singer and a reality TV personality have in common? They're just a few of the latest celebrities to join the Dancing With the Stars season 32 cast.
It's never an easy waltz toward the coveted Mirrorball. This year, in particular, forebodes many a changes ahead for the hit competition series, from the Dancing With the Stars judges down to how fans can watch the show.
To get you primed and ready, here are all the details to know about Dancing With the Stars season 32, including the next class of celebrity contestants, their professional dancer partners and of course, the official premiere date:
When is the Dancing with the Stars season 32 release date?
The stars officially put their dancing shoes on come September 26, 2023, with season 32 episodes slotted on Tuesday nights from 8 p.m. ET to 10 p.m. ET. What's more, in a twist, news broke that Dancing With the Stars will return to ABC while also keeping its live broadcast on Disney+. As folks may know, season 31 streamed exclusively on Disney+.
Reacting to the announcement, judge Carrie Ann Inaba took to Instagram to express her gratitude with viewers. "Been thinking about @dancingwiththestars and I’m so pleased that we are back on @abcnetwork along with @disneyplus," she wrote on May 22. "This allows for even more people to have access to our show and it allows the people who have been [watching] us from the beginning to continue watching us again in the fall."
As for what fans can expect to see in the new episodes, fellow judge Derek Hough teased that there will be "a few adjustments" that he believes will make the show "a little more suspenseful." We wonder what he means ...
Who will host Dancing With the Stars season 32?
Though it was believed that Tyra Banks and Alfonso Ribiero would resume their co-hosting duties, this actually won't be the case for Dancing With the Stars' 2023 season. On March 17, Deadline confirmed that Tyra will no longer host the competition show. What's more, Variety exclusively reported that Alfonso will return as a co-host and he'll be accompanied by former pro dancer and judge Julianne Hough.
“It is such an honor to be rejoining Dancing with the Stars as co-host. The show holds such a special place in my heart from the many years and different roles I have had the privilege of being a part of,” she says in an exclusive statement to Variety.
She continued: “The incredible team that brings the ballroom to life every night has been my family for the past 17 years. I am so excited to reunite with Alfonso, Carrie Ann, Bruno, Derek, the unbelievably talented pros, and the amazing cast on the dance floor."
"Julianne was definitely our first choice," executive producer Conrad Green told Entertainment Weekly on September 13. "Alfonso coming on last season really proved that there's an understanding that comes with having been on the show and being part of the family of the show that connects well with the audience and makes you really understand what the celebrities and dancers are going through."
He added: "It's going to be really interesting to have someone asking questions in the Sky Box who has been on both sides of the fence as a dancer and has seen everything. She's been on the opposite side of those questions. She understands what it's like to teach. There's so much insight that she brings."
As for Tyra's departure, TMZ was the first to break the news after one of their reporters caught up with the former supermodel. When asked how she planned to balance her ice cream business, SMIZE & Dream, with her hosting job on Dancing With the Stars, Tyra revealed that she had big plans for it but it would involve her stepping back.
"I feel it's time for me to really focus on my business and my entrepreneurship and also producing more TV but behind the scenes," she told TMZ. "I think it's time to graduate from the dance floor to the stock market floor."
Tyra added: "My heart, my soul is into my business. It's also into producing new TV, which we're working on, so we got a new business show coming soon. But I really want to focus on my business and you can't do that hosting a show."
Who is in the Dancing With the Stars season 32 cast?
Another season ushers in an entirely new star-studded lineup of contestants. On September 13, Good Morning America announced the cast and their pro pairings:
- Supermodel Tyson Beckford with partner Jenna Johnson
- Marvel star Xochitl Gomez with partner Val Chmerkovskiy
- How I Met Your Mother alum Alyson Hannigan with partner Sasha Farber
- Reality TV star Harry Jowsey with partner Rylee Arnold
- The Bachelorette star Charity Lawson with partner Artem Chigvintsev
- Vanderpump Rules' Ariana Madix with partner Pasha Pashkov
- Grammy-winning singer Jason Mraz with partner Daniella Karagach
- NFL star Adrian Peterson with partner Britt Stewart
- Social media star Lele Pons with partner Brandon Armstrong
- Oscar-winning actress Mira Sorvino with partner Gleb Savchenko
- Actress Jamie Lynn Spears with partner Alan Bersten
- Real estate mogul and TV star Mauricio Umansky with partner Emma Slater
- Comedian and actor Matt Walsh with partner Koko Iwasaki
- The Brady Bunch star Barry Williams with partner Peta Murgatroyd
It all rides on the heels of life-changing years for some of the cast mates. On July 7, Derek appeared on Good Morning America to announce Vanderpump Rules star Ariana Madix as the first cast member for Dancing With the Stars season 32.
“This season on Dancing With the Stars, we are going absolutely mad, mad for Madix ... Say goodbye to the drama, and say hello to the dance floor." Derek said in a clip, filmed from her sandwich shop called Something About Her.
The news comes after reports that Ariana was eyeing the competition show following a tumultuous season 10 of Vanderpump Rules, in which the reality star was involved in "Scandoval." As for her skills in the ballroom, viewers may be excited to hear that she has won two dance national competitions before, according to her website. So, she's sure to make season 32 a memorable one.
Among the fixtures who announced their departure was dance pro Cheryl Burke, whose run spans 26 seasons. Ahead of the Dancing With the Stars season 31 finale on November 21, she wrote on Instagram that it "has been one of the absolute hardest decisions of my life, and I am also confident that it is the right one."
Other pros didn't have much say in the matter: Shana Burgess, who won season 27, revealed on her podcast that she wasn't asked back for the upcoming season. "It was such a shock, because I wasn’t expecting it, it was tough," she said. "It’s not the first time. My last five years on the show have been rocky — not because of the show."
Despite making a triumphant return, reigning Mirrorball champion Mark Ballas also revealed that he was retiring. On March 13, while performing in the Dancing with the Stars Live 2023 tour, he made the career announcement alongside his winning partner Charli.
“I’ve done 20 seasons now,” he said onstage to a crowd, per Deadline. “I started this journey when I was 21, 22 and honestly being able to dance and perform for you fans — you guys are the best fans ... I just want to finish by saying, this will be the last time you see me dance in this capacity. I’m coming to a close tonight. This is going to be my last dance.”
Who will be the Dancing with the Stars season 32 judges?
For the first time in Dancing With the Stars history, Len Goodman will not be part of the judge's panel. After the head judge announced that he was retiring at the end of season 31 in November, he died from bone cancer at the age of 78 on April 22. His agent revealed his death to BBC, sharing that he was "surrounded by his family" when he died in hospice in Kent, England.
Before his departure though, Len voiced how appreciative he was of his time on the air.
"I've been with the show since it started in 2005, and it’s been a huge pleasure to be a huge part of such a wonderful show. But I've decided I'd like to spend more time with my grandchildren and family back in Britain," he said on the Disney+ show. "I cannot thank you enough, the Dancing With the Stars family. It has been such a wonderful experience for me."
On March 20, Variety also confirmed that Carrie Ann Inaba, Bruno Turniolo and Derek Hough will return as judges for the 2023 season. According to the outlet, there will not a fourth person replacing Len's place, so we'll be back to the traditional panel size.
What's more, Derek opened up to TVInsider about his hope to have familiar famous faces join the trio every now and then. "I really envision that the three of us [Carrie Ann, Bruno, and myself] will have some guest judges, which will be nice," he told the outlet. "Sometimes having that outside perspective can be fun. It’ll make it feel different. We’ll see what happens."
Where can I watch or stream the new Dancing With the Stars season in 2023?
Dancing with the Stars will air live on ABC and Disney+ from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. ET on Tuesday nights. You'll be able to watch the new season 2023 episodes on TV via your provider, including YouTube TV, Hulu + Live TV, fubo TV and Sling TV.
You can also tune in on the Disney+ website or the Disney+ app. If you don't have a subscription, you have the option to sign up for a plan starting at $9.99 per month. Fans can also head over to the platform during the live show to vote online, as it plays a crucial role in which couples survive the night.
Lastly, if you can't watch Dancing With the Stars live and you don't have Disney+, you'll have the chance to catch up the next day on Hulu. After trying out the service through a 30-day free trial, you can opt into a plan starting at $7.99 per month.
.Jacqueline (she/her) was a commerce editor for Good Housekeeping from 2021 to 2024. Prior to joining GH, she was a style and beauty reviews fellow at Insider, testing viral trends, reviewing sustainable brands and more. She's a graduate of the University of Florida's School of Journalism, with a specialty in magazines and mass communication.
Selena is the entertainment and news editor for Good Housekeeping, where she covers the latest on TV, movies and celebrities. In addition to writing and editing entertainment news, she also spotlights the Hispanic and Latinx community through her work. She is a graduate of CUNY Hunter College with a B.A. in journalism and creative writing.
