With the 33rd season of “Dancing With the Stars” just a couple of weeks away, fans have been growing more curious about the cast. Thus far, the only person confirmed to be competing for a Mirrorball Trophy is Olympic gymnast, Stephen Nedoroscik.
However, on August 27, a hairstylist from Los Angeles seemed to leak another name: Jenna Johnson. The pro was having her hair done by Bradley Leake. He took to his Instagram Stories to share a pic from the hair session.
“Getting DWTS ready,” he captioned the post, which was shared on Reddit. It was quickly deleted and replaced with the same photo — but missing the caption. This led fans to believe that Johnson is indeed part of the season 33 cast.
Numerous rumors about who else might be joining the cast have circulated online, though none have been confirmed by ABC. While we await the official cast announcement, which is coming on Wednesday, September 4, let’s take a look as some of the biggest rumors out there.
1. Jason Kelce
One of the biggest casting rumors of the year has been newly retired NFL star, Jason Kelce. In fact, fans have been talking about the possibility of the former Philadelphia Eagles player trading in his cleats for a pair of ballroom shoes for weeks.
Though it does seem unlikely, given Kelce’s other commitments (he is set to join ESPN as a commentator for the upcoming NFL season), that hasn’t stopped the rumor mill from spinning.
Even ballroom pro Jenna Johnson would love to see Kelce hit the dance floor. During a Q&A on her Instagram Stories back in March, Johnson said that Kelce would be her dream partner for the new season.
“I’m going to say Jason Kelce. He just retired, so I think it’d be perfect timing, plus, I think he would be hilarious and so much fun to work with,” Johnson said.
2. Gypsy Rose Blanchard
On the May 17 episode of the “Sex, Lies, and Spray Tans” podcast, DWTS insider Kristyn Burtt said that she thinks Gypsy Rose Blanchard will be part of the cast. Blanchard is a Munchhausen-by-proxy survivor who was convicted of second-degree murder after pleading guilty to having an old boyfriend kill her mother. “She was sentenced to 10 years in prison and served 85 percent of her sentence before being released December 28, 2023,” per Biography.
Although Blanchard is a controversial figure, she is someone that could be cast on the show.
“I have a feeling, she was just in LA a few weeks ago. You know that Deena Katz meeting happened. I just know it in my bones,” Burtt said on “Sex, Lies, and Spray Tans.”
In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Blanchard stated how she felt about the possibility of being offered a spot on the cast.
“I can’t dance. I’m not the best person with rhythm, but you never know. Sometimes opportunities arise and it depends if I want to take it on or not. So, I’m just taking it day by day and we’ll see, whatever opportunities come up, we’ll see if I want to go through with it,” she told the outlet in January.
Blanchard’s involvement on the show may seem less likely since she’s pregnant. She shared the news in July.
3. Joey Graziadei
Former “Bachelor” lead Joey Graziadei seems like a sure thing when it comes to the season 33 cast of “Dancing With the Stars.” Fans have been talking about the possibility for weeks.
“I think that Joey Graziadei will be on this season as there has not been a male bachelor cast member on DWTS since 2021,” one person commented on a Reddit thread.
As for how Graziadei feels about the possibility, he sounded open to it during a chat with Kelly Ripa.
“If that call comes, I would be open to it, but to be honest, I’m trying to do one reality show at a time right now, so let’s get through this one first,” he said on an episode of “Live! With Kelly and Mark” in January. “You know, I have a little rhythm,” he added.
Just a week before the official cast announcement, a source told ET that Graziadei is indeed in talks to join the new season.
The honorable mention Bachelor Nation rumor is “Golden Bachelor” star, Gerry Turner.
4. Tom Sandoval
Perhaps Tom Sandoval will follow in the footsteps of his ex-girlfriend, Ariana Madix, who competed on season 32 of “Dancing With the Stars.”
The “Vanderpump Rules” star’s name has been thrown into the mix when it comes to possible cast members. In fact, former pro Burke thinks that there’s a really good chance that Sandoval will be dancing this season.
“Don’t be shocked if you see some similar names – Tom Sandoval,” Burke said on the June 7 episode of the “Sex, Lies, and Spray Tans” podcast.
It seems logical, based on the other reality shows that Sandoval has participated in. Sandoval appeared on “The Masked Singer” and “Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test” in 2023. In 2024, he filmed season 3 of “The Traitors” which will likely be released in early 2025.
5. Parvati Shallow
Former “Survivor” star Parvati Shallow threw her own name into the “Dancing With the Stars” rumor mill.
“PLEASE go on Dancing with the Stars!!!” a fan commented on Shallow’s Instagram post on June 7.
“You got it,” Shallow responded.
As it turns out, Shallow hadn’t been approached about joining the cast at that time. On the June 14 episode of the “Sex, Lies, and Spray Tans” podcast, insider Burtt revealed that she actually spoke with Shallow and no plans had been in motion.
6. Sutton Stracke
It’s certainly not uncommon for “Real Housewives” stars to compete on “Dancing With the Stars.” And it looks like we may have another Bravo star on season 33.
Following in the footsteps of Lisa Vanderpump and Erika Jayne, Beverly Hills star Sutton Stracke could be ballroom bound.
Gossip sites and Reddit have been breeding grounds for this rumor. And it does seem like it will work. If Stracke is filming for the new season of RHOBH, she’s already in the Los Angeles area. This will make her commute to and from the studio a breeze.
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Biggest Cast Rumors for DWTS Season 33