'Dancing With the Stars' Makes Promising Change That Should Excite Longtime Fans
In advance of its move to Disney+, Dancing With the Stars is making yet another change to its show. Variety reported that Dancing With the Stars' former showrunner, Conrad Green, is returning to the show as it moves to the streaming service. Green was the initial showrunner for the dance competition when it first premiered on ABC in 2005.
Green will reportedly be the one to oversee DWTS' transition from ABC to Disney+ this fall. He was DWTS' showrunner up until its 18th season. After that point, he left in order to produce Utopia for Fox. Green will be replacing Andrew Llinares, who left the program after Season 30. Llinares was the one who oversaw many of the major changes that DWTS has experienced in recent years, the biggest of which came when hosts Tom Bergeron and Erin Andrews were fired and Tyra Banks was named as their replacement.
DWTS made waves earlier this year when it was reported that the show would be moving to Disney+ after 30 seasons on ABC. In April, the series revealed that the upcoming Season 31, set to launch in the fall, would mark its first on the streaming service. DWTS will become the first live series to debut on Disney+. Unfortunately, repeats will not air on ABC going forward.
"Dancing With the Stars has entertained fans for 16 years on ABC, and we are excited to bring this beloved show exclusively to Disney+ as the platform's first-ever live series," Kareem Daniel, chairman, Disney Media and Entertainment Distribution, said in a statement. "The show's broad appeal, as well as the overwhelming popularity of its Disney-themed competition nights, make Disney+ the perfect home for Dancing With the Stars while continuing to expand our demographic reach."
"Dancing With the Stars has been a beloved staple on ABC for 30 seasons and brought so much joy to millions of viewers," Dana Walden, Chairman of Entertainment for Walt Disney Television, said. "As we're significantly expanding our unscripted slate at ABC, this is a great opportunity to introduce this show to a whole new generation of fans on Disney+. We're so grateful to our incredible partners at BBC Studios and look forward to continuing our relationship with them on this spectacular series, which will continue to be overseen by Rob Mills and the talented Walt Disney Television Alternative team." An official airdate for Season 31 has not yet been revealed.