“Dancing with the Stars” is saying one, two, bye, bye, bye to network television.
The popular ballroom dance competition, which recently wrapped up its 30th season, is waltzing away from ABC.
On Friday, Disney announced that the show — where celebrities and professional dancers try to win over the votes of TV watchers and professional judges through rumba, mambo and quickstep routines — had been renewed for two more seasons, and that it would be moving to Disney+.
The move will make the Tyra Banks-hosted televised competition the first live series to debut on the streaming service.
“‘Dancing with the Stars’ has entertained fans for 16 years on ABC, and we are excited to bring this beloved show exclusively to Disney+ as the platform’s first-ever live series,” Kareem Daniel, chairman of Disney Media and Entertainment Distribution, said in a statement.
“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,” Daniel added.
According to Deadline, Disney-owned ABC sent an advisory to its affiliates on Friday morning, saying that the change comes from the network’s decision to air NFL football on the Monday nights in the fall, a slot occupied by “DWTS” for the last 15 years.
Produced in front of a live audience by BBC Studios in Los Angeles, the show has remained popular since it premiered on June 1, 2005. During its fall 2021 run, it ranked among the top five unscripted series with adults 18-49.
“‘Dancing with the Stars’ has been a beloved staple on ABC for 30 seasons and brought so much joy to millions of viewers,” said Dana Walden, chairman of entertainment at Walt Disney Television.
“As we’re significantly expanding our unscripted slate at ABC, this is a great opportunity to introduce this show to a whole new generation of fans on Disney+,” she added.
Calling the move “unprecedented,” Valerie Bruce, BBC Studios general manager, noted that “the fact that our iconic global format ‘Dancing with the Stars’ will now set the record as the first live series on Disney+ represents a major growth opportunity and a bold next step forward in the evolution of the franchise.”
———
