‘Dancing With the Stars: Juniors’ Judge Adam Rippon Admits He Caused ‘a Few Tears’

Adam Rippon wasn’t afraid to tell the Dancing With the Stars: Juniors competitors what he really thought!

The Olympian, who is the currently reigning champion of Dancing With the Stars: Athletes, is taking on the role of judge alongside pro dancer Val Chmerkovskiy and choreographer Mandy Moore in the 10-episode special spin-off of the ABC dance show, and as he told PEOPLE Now Thursday, he wasn’t afraid to get tough with the youngsters.

“I can give you a little hint that there were a few tears throughout the season,” he said when asked about his experience judging the show.

“That you caused?” the host asked him, at which he just hunched his shoulders sheepishly and gestured at his face.

“I’m just a child myself,” he said in his own defense. “You know, I think when you’re in that ballroom it can get a little emotional, and I think that I tried to break up the tension. Like my style of judging was trying to break up the tension but also keep it real so that you can improve!”

Hosting the DWTS: Juniors, which premieres Sunday at 8 p.m. ET, will be Dancing With the Stars champ Jordan Fisher and alum Frankie Muniz.

“When they finally called that it was happening, I was so excited because I had such an amazing time on Dancing With the Stars,” Muniz told Entertainment Tonight in July. “So, to be able to stay in the family and get to experience it from a different perspective and get to host the new show, like, I was thrilled. And I’m so glad to be doing it with Jordan because we have so much fun together. It’s going to be awesome!”

“It’s Dancing With the Stars as you know it,” Fisher added. “It’s people you are familiar with and that you love. It’s a stage that you’re familiar with, that you love, but it’s [all] brand new. It’s the same show — it’s the same feeling of sitting down and watching people compete in something that they’ve never done before.”

Competing on the show as stars will be Black-ish actor Miles Browns, Avengers actress Ariana Greenblatt, WE Tv star Alana “Honey Boo Boo” Thompson, Scripps National Spelling Bee competitor Akash Vukoti, pro skater Sky Brown, Stevie Wonder’s son Mandla Morris, NBA legend Scottie Pippen’s daughter Sophia Pippen, General Hospital actor Hudson West, singer Mackenzie Ziegler, Bristol Palin’s son Tripp Palin, Master Chef Junior winner Addison Osta Smith, and Raven’s Home actor Jason Maybaum.

Dancing With the Stars: Juniors premieres Sunday, Oct. 7 at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.

Photo credit: ABC/Ed Herrera