Producers Reveal Bigger Cast for Season 35
At the inaugural DWTS Convention on August 1, executive producer Conrad Green confirmed that Dancing with the Stars Season 35 will feature a larger cast than the previous season. The update came during the "Behind the Mirrorball" panel hosted by former professional Kym Johnson-Herjavec, where the show's creative team outlined what to expect this fall.
Pro Dancers: Surprises in Store
Casting director and co-executive producer Deena Katz hinted at "a couple of surprises on some pro dancers I think everyone's gonna be happy about." She also reiterated that the winner of Dancing with the Stars: The Next Pro will join the professional lineup. Katz added that announcements about the pro pairings would begin rolling out "in the next couple weeks."
Full Cast Reveal and Premiere Schedule
Katz confirmed that the full Season 35 cast will be announced on September 2 during Good Morning America. Dancing with the Stars is set to premiere September 15 on ABC, with a second episode airing the following night. Four celebrity contestants have already been publicly named, with several others reported as rumored.
A Pro Departure
One professional dancer has already confirmed they will not return for the upcoming season, according to coverage from the convention, though the identity was not specified in the available reporting.
Ginger Zee on the Inaugural Convention
In an exclusive interview with EntertainmentNow at the first-ever DWTS Convention, Good Morning America chief meteorologist and Season 25 alumna Ginger Zee called the event "the show of shows." Zee, who competed on the show in 2016, said the convention offered something other fan events do not. "Here, you get that plus a show, plus you get to be a part of the show. I don't think there's anything like it in the world," she said.
Alumni Reunions and Fan Energy
Zee said she was particularly excited to reconnect with fellow DWTS alumni from different eras of the show, naming figure skater Kristi Yamaguchi as someone she had never properly met despite their shared history. She described an "unspoken understanding" among past contestants and said watching fans experience the show up close felt like "watching my children love something for the first time."
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