Bravo Fans React to Unexpected ‘DWTS Season 33 Cast Announcement

Heavy/Bravo/ABC "Dancing With the Stars" news.

Bravo fans had a lot to say about the “Dancing With the Stars” season 33 cast announcement.

As the celebrity contestants were confirmed by ABC on September 4, some fans were surprised to see that “Real Housewives of Atlanta” star Phaedra Parks made the list. The veteran Housewife will be the fifth star from the Atlanta-based franchise to compete on the celebrity ballroom show. Kim Zolciak, NeNe Leakes, Kenya Moore, and Kim Fields all competed in past seasons.

ABCPhaedra Parks.

While it’s not unusual to have Bravo personalities in the ballroom, Parks seemingly came out of nowhere amid months of buzz that other stars from the network were being eyed by ABC.

Parks will be partnered with pro dancer Val Chmerkovskiy, who won the season 32 mirror ball trophy with actress Xochitl Gomez in 2023.

In addition to Parks, the “Dancing With the Stars” season 33 cast includes Tori Spelling, Ilona Maher, Dwight Howard, Danny Amendola, Eric Roberts, Anna Delvey, Stephen Nedoroscik, Chandler Kinney, Brooks Nader, Reginald VelJohnson, and Bachelor Nation stars Joey Graziadei and Jenn Tran.

Some Fans Expected Sutton Stracke To Be Cast on DWTS

GettySutton Stracke.

For months, there has been buzz that Sutton Stracke was on the short list for “Dancing With the Stars.” The “Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” star has a ballet background. She was thought to be the subject of a blind item that teased, “A very fancy Bh Housewife, who wasn’t fond of Magic Mike’s dancing, has signed on for DWTS.” Several other RHOBH stars have competed on DWTS, including Lisa Rinna, Lisa Vanderpump, and Erika Jayne.  Two RHOBH husbands—Harry Hamlin and Mauricio Umansky—have also competed on the show.

But a few days before the official DWTS cast announcement took place on “Good Morning America,” paparazzi photos from a rehearsal set for the ABC show were posted by TV Deets. In the photos, part of someone’s face was shown as security personnel tried to shield with an umbrella. But it was hard to see who it was, especially since the person was wearing sunglasses. “Phaedra Parks is rumored to be joining ‘Dancing With The Stars’ due to paparazzi photos taken at the set of Season 33. #RHOA,” came the caption.

Parks is controversial.  She appeared on RHOA seasons 3 through 9 but was fired amid allegations that she started false rumors about a conspiracy involving two of her co-stars, according to TMZ. After a six-season absence,  she teased her return to RHOA in a July 2024 Instagram post. “You called. I answered, 🍑 #RHOA #S16,” she captioned a photo of her holding a peach. She also gained new fans during a stint on “The Traitors” in 2024.

In response to her DWTS casting, one commenter wrote on Reddit, “I really wish it wasn’t Phaedra Parks yall know she falsely accused her castmates on rhoa.”

But others were thrilled.

“Cast is mid but watching for my girl Phaedra #DWTS,” one fan wrote on X.

“PHAEDRA!!!!!! #DWTS,” another wrote.

There Were Rumors That Tom Sandoval Would Be on DWTS

GettyTom Sandoval.

Bravo fans were also surprised to see that no one from “Vanderpump Rules”  made it to the DWTS cast.

In season 32, Ariana Madix’s DWTS casting spawned an entire storyline on the Bravo reality show. Scheana Shay claimed she had been in serious talks to join the ABC dance-off last season. Madix was chosen instead on the heels of her ex-boyfriend Tom Sandoval’s “Scandoval” cheating scandal.

During an appearance on the “Vanderpump Rules Aftershow”, Sandoval also revealed it was a “dream” of his to be cast on “Dancing With the Stars.”

On the podcast “Sex, Lies, and Spray Tans,” former DWTS pro Cheryl Burke said she believed Sandoval would be a contestant on season 33. That rumor hung on for months, but in the end, no “Vanderpump Rules” star was chosen.