Heavy/Getty Season 32 of DWTS looks different.
Season 32 of “Dancing With the Stars” is off the ground, officially, with the premiere airing on September 26, 2023.
As viewers tune in every Tuesday night to watch their favorite celebs take the dance floor, there are quite a few things that will look different.
From Julianne Hough joining Alfonso Ribeiro as the show’s host to Len Goodman’s absence on the judge’s panel, there’s no denying that the highly anticipated season is going to have a bit of an overall different feel.
Here’s what you need to know:
1. Guest Judges Are up in the Air on Season 32 & There’s No Judge’s Save
In an exclusive interview with Heavy, Peta Murgatroyd revealed that season 32 won’t have any guest judges. However, on the October 3, 2023, episode, it was annoucned that Michael Strahan will serve as a guest judge this season.
On previous seasons of the show, different theme weeks would sometimes call for guest judges to join the panel. Over the years, people like Cher and Leah Remini have appeared on the show in guest judge roles.
We also asked Murgatroyd’s husband, Maksim Chmerkovskiy, if he would return to the show in any capacity and he very clearly stated that his time on “Dancing With the Stars” is behind him.
According to TV Line, there will also not be a judhge’s save this season. This means that once a couple is voted off, they cannot br brought back at the judges’ discretion.
2. Season 32 Won’t Have a Troupe
Back in August 2023, DWTS insider Kristyn Burtt uploaded a TikTok in which she revealed that there won’t be a troupe on season 32. That means that there won’t be a group of dancers doing routines after commercial breaks or to kick off each episode. It is presumed that the pros will take on this task — or that a lot of the extra stuff will be eliminated altogether.
This isn’t the first time that DWTS did away with the troupe, either. There wasn’t a troupe for season 28, for example.
Members of the troupe include fan favorites, Alexis Warr and Ezra Sosa, both of whom have also been part of the “Dancing With the Stars” live tours in the past.
3. Julianne Hough Is the New Host
In March 2023, Tyra Banks was confirmed to be out at “Dancing With the Stars” and former pro-turned-judge Julianne Hough was announced at Banks’ replacement.
“It is such an honor to be rejoining ‘Dancing with the Stars’ as co-host. The show holds such a special place in my heart from the many years and different roles I have had the privilege of being a part of,” Hough told Variety.
“The incredible team that brings the ballroom to life every night has been my family for the past 17 years. I am so excited to reunite with Alfonso, Carrie Ann, Bruno, Derek, the unbelievably talented pros, and the amazing cast on the dance floor. The energy is magnetic every time you step foot in to the ballroom and I can’t wait to feel it again — and of course to share it all with the absolute best and most loyal fans — for another exciting season,” she added.
Hough and Ribeiro will co-host the season together.
4. The Mirror Ball Trophy Has a New Name
Long-time head judge Len Goodman announced his retirement from “Dancing With the Stars” during season 31. At the time, he shared that he wanted to spend more time with his family. Months later, however, the world learned that Goodman had died following a battle with bone cancer.
Ahead of the season 32 premiere, executive producer Conrad Green revealed that the Mirror Ball Trophy had been renamed in Goodman’s honor.
“The Len Goodman Mirrorball Trophy will now be lifted on ‘Dancing With the Stars’ like the Vince Lombardi trophy is lifted at the Super Bowl. We wanted to make Len a permanent part of this show, to always remind people the importance he’s had to ‘Dancing With the Stars’ and how much he meant to all of us,” Green told USA Today in a statement.
5. Rylee Arnold Is a New Ballroom Pro
There will be some cast changes when it comes to which pros are participating on season 32. For starters, Witney Carson, Lindsay Arnold, and Louis Van Amstel all confirmed that they wouldn’t be competing on season 32, while Sharna Burgess revealed that she wasn’t asked to return to the show for the new season.
Additionally, Mark Ballas previously announced his retirement from the program — though he didn’t do so publicly; he said it during the DWTS tour.
There will, however, be one new face in the ballroom this season. Lindsay Arnold’s younger sister Rylee Arnold is a first-time pro on the main stage. She has been partnered with Harry Jowsey from Netflix’s “Too Hot to Handle.”
“I have dreamt about this moment for my entire life,” Arnold told “Good Morning America.”
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