The cast for season 26 of Dancing With the Stars is set to be revealed on Good Morning America, as usual. This will be an all-athlete cast, which is the biggest twist for the new season, and only 10 contestants will participate. According to reports, the new DWTS cast will be announced on GMA during the week of April 9, 2018.
When it comes to the latest cast rumor, the Inquistr has reported that figure skater Adam Rippon has been in talks to come aboard. Naughty Gossip has reported that Rippon has actually passed on an offer to join the NBC network, as a correspondent, so that he could be a part of DWTS. Casting director Deena Katz has confirmed that production has definitely had its eyes on Rippon, as well as athletes like Nathan Chen, the Shibutanis, and Mirai Nagasu.
Another new cast shakeup is with the showrunner, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Andrew Llinares has taken on the gig, coming into the show’s 26th season, and he is sure to put a few new spins on the series. Upon announcing the news, Llinares stated that, “Dancing With the Stars is one of the largest scale shows on television, and I love that it provides a place for me, as a producer, to have big, ambitious ideas that I can then bring to life. It can be quite the undertaking to come in to a show that has been on the air for 25 seasons, but I’m excited about taking on the challenge and finding new ways to take the show forward.” As for changes and new ideas for the show, Llinares has explained, “The challenge is to find a way to hold on to the key values of the show … while keeping current and fresh. It’s definitely about evolution rather than revolution. Story and emotion are absolutely key for me. With that in mind, I want us to find ways to make the stories on the show even more compelling and the emotional connection which the viewer has to the performances, even stronger. I also want us to come up with ideas that surprise and excite the viewers every week so that they keep coming back for more.”
The pro dancers and judges have not yet been revealed for the new season, but fans are hoping to see their favorite familiar faces. Unfortunately for Julianne Hough fans, Cinema Blend has reported that she will not return to the judges’ panel this season. Hough has been working on a project called Blackpool with her brother, fan-favorite Derek Hough, and she has explained that, “So many things are happening. Obviously, Dancing has always been my family. I was on it, I left for a little while, I came back. So, who knows what will transpire [in the future]. But as of right now, I’m focusing on that show [Blackpool], my acting and then my music. That’s really sort of my focus right now.”
Co-hosts Erin Andrews and Tom Bergeron will return to the show, according to E! News. Season 26 of Dancing With the Stars is set to premiere on April 30, 2018. The show will air, as usual, on the ABC network.
http://instagr.am/p/BfoXDumBImy/media/?size=l