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The upcoming season of “Dancing With the Stars” is going to be different from seasons prior for a number of reasons. Perhaps the biggest change will be the loss of longtime head judge, Len Goodman, who died in April 2023.
During a Q&A on her Instagram Stories in August 2023, judge Carrie Ann Inaba was asked, “What’s something that makes you excited/nervous about DWTS this year.” Inaba response seems to embody how many fans are feeling ahead of season 32.
“It will be different with Len’s spirit watching over us, instead of sitting beside us. I still cry every time I see my photo book from last year on my shelf,” she wrote. But there are also some positives that she noted as well.
Here’s what you need to know:
Carrie Ann Inaba Made Mention of Julianne Hough’s Return as Well as the Show’s Return to ABC
While things will undoubtedly be hard stepping in to the ballroom without seeing Goodman, Inaba has a couple of things to look forward to.
“We have Julianne back and as a family, we will get through it and we will continue to evolve. I’m excited to hear how we will deal with being on streaming and network at the same time,” she wrote.
Back in March 2023, Variety confirmed that Hough would be taking over for Tyra Banks as the show’s host. Mirror Ball champion Alfonso Ribeiro will join her as co-host. Two months later, it was confirmed that the show would head back to ABC after season 31 was only available to stream on Disney+. When the show returns in the fall, both viewing options will be available.
Someone shared Inaba’s response on Reddit and a couple of fans shared their feelings on what’s to come.
“This season will be really difficult, especially for the judges, pros and hosts, but i know Len would be proud of them all,” the original poster said.
“Even when Len was absent from the judges dais in past seasons, his high standards were still there and I think the dancers worked hard to impress him. I hope they keep the standards up and continue to surprise and delight us in his memory,” someone else wrote.
Other ‘Dancing With the Stars’ Cast Members Have Said That Season 32 Will Be Different
Inaba certainly isn’t the only “Dancing With the Stars” cast member to acknowledge that things will look different for the upcoming season.
“Len Goodman had that type of authority in the dance world and he earned that authority, not just on camera but behind the scenes for 50 years of being in competitive ballroom dancing, so we know Len from those days,” ballroom pro Val Chmerkovskiy told Entertainment Tonight.
“And then to have been introduced to Len on camera in front of millions of people, he felt like family. He felt like a granddad to us, our dance granddad and yeah, we’ll miss him. I think the show will be very different without him,” he added.
Meanwhile, former pro turned judge Derek Hough says he wants to do something to honor Goodman when the show returns.
“Len had the most beautiful heart. He really did. I’m thinking about a moment on the show that I want to dedicate to Len. I’m trying to select the right song. The feeling I get when I think about Len is doing a pure and classic waltz or foxtrot. ‘No fussing about!’ ‘No lollygagging!’” Hough said during an interview with TV Insider.
“That’s what I want to do. I want to honor him by bringing the history of dance into the future and to never lose the history of where dance came from. Dancing will evolve and change but it’s important that we always bring that history with us,” he added.
The new season of “Dancing With the Stars” is set to premiere in late September or early October 2023.
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