Even though Dancing With the Stars Season 35 won’t be coming until later this year on the 2026 TV schedule, fans are continuing to speculate as to who will be competing in the ballroom for the Len Goodman Mirrorball Trophy. Theories are including both celebrity contestants and pros, as viewers wonder who will be returning and who won’t be, especially now that DWTS is developing a new reality show to find the next pro. Rumors are floating around surrounding potential exits, and Emma Slater is responding.
Slater joined the reality dancing competition for Season 14 in 2012 as a troupe dancer before being promoted to pro for Season 17. She’s gone on to be a fan-favorite, winning Season 24 with former NFL player Rashad Jennings. While it’s unknown who will be returning in the fall, and pros usually don’t know until right before rehearsals start, Slater told her Season 34 partner Andy Richter how long she wants to keep doing the show for, while guesting on his podcast The Three Questions with Andy Richter. As she put it:
