Why Is ‘Dancing With the Stars’ Moving Back to ABC?

Put on your dancing shoes! Dancing With the Stars will make its triumphant return to ABC after a year of streaming exclusively on Disney+. 

According to The Hollywood Reporter, the long-running series will return to ABC — where it first premiered in 2005 — for Season 32 after a short run on Disney+.

The competition series premiered on Disney+ as the streamer’s first-ever live primetime debut in 2022.

At the time, Kareem Daniel, chairman of Disney Media and Entertainment Distribution, said, “The show’s broad appeal, as well as the overwhelming popularity of its Disney-themed competition nights, make Disney+ the perfect home for Dancing With the Stars while continuing to expand our demographic reach,” per THR.

Now, DWTS will premiere simultaneously on ABC and Disney+, as well as stream the next day on Hulu.

Curious to learn more about the show’s recent changes? New platform, new hosts, new season? Here’s everything you need to know about DTWS’s big move.

Why Is Dancing With the Stars Returning to ABC?

While the network hasn’t confirmed the reason behind DWTS‘s sudden move, some have speculated that it was influenced by the Writers Guild of America strike and the network’s recent loss in ad revenue. 

DWTS’s return to ABC was announced shortly after the WGA called a strike against major Hollywood studios due to unfair pay amid streaming changes. When the last strike occurred in November 2007 — which lasted 100 days and concluded in February 2008 — there was an uptick in unscripted programming to make up for the lack of new content. 

Others, such as Vulture, have alleged that the return to ABC is to help the network boost their ad revenue, as the program had shorter ads on Disney+.

When DWTS moved to Disney+ in September 2022, executive producer Conrad Green told Variety, “Job one, the first thing, is that there are no longer ad breaks.”

Other Major Changes at DWTS:

This upcoming season of DWTS will also see a new co-host taking the reins. Last March, it was reported that Tyra Banks will be leaving the program to focus on her SMiZE ice cream brand. It was later confirmed that alum Julianne Hough would return to the program as a co-host. 

In the past, the triple threat has appeared on the series as a professional dancer,  choreographer and judge after making her debut on the competition show in 2007. 

She will co-host Season 32 alongside Alfonso Ribeiro. 

“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,” Hough said in a statement.