More Changes Coming For Dancing With The Stars Season 17??
As previously reported, Dancing With The Stars is trimming back to one show a week next season. Get ready as there may be even more changes coming. According to the NY Post, there is going to be a shake up at the judges table. Also, Derek Hough, Mark Ballas, and Cheryl Burke may not be returning. Also, eliminations are expected to happen at the beginning of each show. Interesting. Here is more….
After 16 seasons, TV’s top-rated competition show is being cut to one night a week and given a radical makeover— which will likely include a shakeup at the judge’s table.
“No one has a confirmed contract yet,” a show source tells The Post. “I think Bruno [Tonioli] will be back, but Carrie Ann [Inaba] and Len [Goodman] are probably gone.
“The network has been very evasive about it.”
“Dancing” will also be losing several of its most popular professionals.
Four-time champ Derek Hough will sit out next season to work on a new scripted show about the world of dance for the Starz cable network. Fellow pro Mark Ballas is also reportedly in talks to appear in his own reality show.
Fan favorite Cheryl Burke is also unlikely to return, the sources say.
“[The producers] will use this time to figure out how to restructure the show and trim fat off the budget,” the insider says. “The show has become too expensive.”
ABC has declined to confirm whether the dancers or contestants will be asked to accept pay cuts now that the Tuesday night results shows have been scrapped.
Eliminations are now expected to be announced at the beginning of each new episode.
More at the NY Post.
I hope it’s true about the judges. Let Bruno stay, but, let’s see some new blood in the other two spots. As for the pros…I hope Derek won’t be leaving quite yet and yet, I understand him wanting to branch out. Let us know what you think.
ETA: A source close to E News commented on the New York Post rumors. Below is more for how nothing has been decided yet.
“It’s true no one is locked in under contract yet, but that’s not necessarily unusual at this stage,” a source close to the show exclusively tells E! News. “Nothing has been decided yet about next season. There definitely will be format changes and it’s possible there may be some casting changes but those discussions are just beginning.”
While ABC had no comment on the rumors, another source tells us that the report is “speculative” as the season just ended yesterday. “The producers will take a break and then start discussions about what the fall will look like.”
As for Goodman and Inaba’s contracts and whether or not the original judges are on their way out, our source insists, “Nothing decided yet.”
More at E News.
ETA2: One of the producers, Deena Katzspoke, spoke to the NY Post about the changes. Deena mentions a “4th judge and a former president”(huh?) in one of the takes below. Karina Smirnoff and Sharna Burgess also weigh in with their thoughts on the possible changes…
A fourth judge and a former president are two ideas being tossed around for the retooled version of “Dancing with The Stars.”
“We are just starting to figure it out now,” producer Deena Katz told The Post moments after this week’s live finale in LA.
ABC is scrapping the original Tuesday-night result show, signaling the start of the show’s first extreme makeover in eight years.
“Bring in someone like JLo to judge us,” longtime pro Karina Smirnoff says. “To give a little bit of a new criticism, a new perspective.
“I think four judges. ‘American Idol’ has four. ‘The Voice’ has four.”
The biggest challenge is figuring out how to revamp voting and eliminations, Katz admits.
“For the audience members, we want to have a beginning, a middle and an end,” she says. “I think that is exciting. It will make it so that you have to watch that particular night.”
“When I first heard [that the Tuesday results show was being eliminated], if I am honest, I was like ‘What do you mean? Why are you changing the format?’” says dancer Sharna Burgess, who partnered this season with fan-favorite comedian Andy Dick.
“But the more I hear [executive producer] Conrad Green talk about it, I am really, really excited.”
More at the NY Post including an explanation for what she means about adding a President (bring on Bill Clinton, Yes please!).
Other than that, it was so cool seeing Sharna and Andy’s phenomenal Mad Hatter Lady Gaga Jazz number again. What’s more, they made it a huge dance production. And how about Dorothy Hamill and Kristi Yamaguchi’s dance with Henry and Sasha? What a “moment” that was. I also loved the performances by Wynonna (what a powerhouse), PSY (I’m so addicted to that crazy song and dance production now. lol), and Pitbull. A night to remember for sure!! More in 
