Overview
- On Tuesday, Sept. 1, ABC confirmed Alfonso Ribeiro and Julianne Hough will return as cohosts and Derek Hough, Carrie Ann Inaba and Bruno Tonioli will sit on the judges’ panel for Season 35.
- The network has already announced four celebrity contestants — Ciara Miller, Maura Higgins, Jackson Olson and Guillermo Rodriguez — and scheduled the full cast and pro pairings to be revealed on Good Morning America on Wednesday, Sept. 2.
- Reigning pro champion Witney Carson is officially paired with Guillermo Rodriguez and has said she will compete while pregnant, prompting public discussion of rehearsal pacing, lifts and wardrobe adjustments to protect her and the baby.
- Adele Zaikman won Dancing With the Stars: The Next Pro on Aug. 31 and will join Season 35 as a new professional, while former champion Sharna Burgess will return to the pro roster after a five-year break.
- ABC has rolled out covered-face pairing teasers and masked arrivals to limit leaks from Los Angeles rehearsals, and the season will premiere with back-to-back episodes on Sept. 15–16 on ABC and Disney+ with next-day streaming on Hulu.