Dancing with the Stars: The Next Pro premiere highlights
The ABC spinoff Dancing with the Stars: The Next Pro premiered on Monday, July 13, hosted by reigning Mirrorball Champion Robert Irwin. Six-time Mirrorball champion Derek Hough appeared as a guest judge alongside mother-son duo Shirley and Mark Ballas. Hough divided the 12 contestants into six pairs and assigned the men a jive routine and the women a samba, then informed the competitors that a double elimination would be decided on technique. Commercial dancer Briar Nolet slipped during the solo portion of her samba, prompting gasps from the judges and contestants, though she recovered quickly and finished the routine. After feedback from the panel, Nolet and competitor Jake Monreal were sent home. The series airs Mondays at 8 p.m. ET/PT on ABC.
Val Chmerkovskiy criticizes AJ Pritchard
Dancing with the Stars pro Val Chmerkovskiy publicly criticized Next Pro contestant AJ Pritchard on the most recent episode of the "Stepping on Toes" podcast, co-hosted with Danielle Fishel. Chmerkovskiy took issue with the "arrogance" Pritchard displayed throughout the week's episode, calling it "a huge turn-off," and added that "everybody's won something," pushing back on the contestant's stated credentials.
Oti Mabuse weighs in on AJ Pritchard's US move
Former Strictly Come Dancing professional Oti Mabuse commented on Pritchard's appearance on the American spinoff, suggesting that people "may find AJ Pritchard more palatable in America" because he previously "rubbed people up the wrong way" while on the BBC series. Her remarks come as Pritchard, a former Strictly champion, transitions to the US version of the franchise.
Kayla Nicole eyes DWTS appearance
Model and podcaster Kayla Nicole is reportedly interested in joining Dancing With The Stars, according to a source who told Page Six that "it would be the next natural step in her career." Nicole has also playfully teased joining The Bachelorette. The reported interest follows her public presence at Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce's recent wedding.
Strictly Come Dancing 2026 lineup takes shape
The BBC confirmed actress Jaime Winstone as the latest addition to the 2026 Strictly Come Dancing lineup. The revamped show is set to return to iPlayer and BBC One in September, presented by Emma Willis, with additional cast announcements and rumors continuing to circulate ahead of the new season.
Next Pro ratings off to a strong start
According to TheWrap's analysis of Netflix's semi-annual viewing data for the first half of 2026, Dancing With the Stars: The Next Pro is "off to a strong start." The same analysis noted that Harlan Coben's "I Will Find You" took the No. 3 spot on Netflix's most-watched TV list after debuting only 13 days before the data release.
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