‘Dancing With the Stars’: Ex-Producer Claims Show Reportedly to Have Same-Sex Partners This Season

A big change is in store for Season 29 of Dancing With the Stars. When ABC‘s reality competition returns this fall, a same-sex couple will be taking the dancefloor. Speaking to The Sun, former executive producer Steven Price confirmed the news, and when asked if he agreed with the potentially controversial casting move, he replied simply “yes.”

“Because this day and age you cannot control love,” Price continued. “You cannot control who or whom you love, so you have got to support it You cannot condemn someone just because they love someone of the same sex. That is who they love — support it. As long as they are not hurting each other.”

“The Midwest is changing their dynamic now,” Price went on to say, explaining how some households might be off-put with the decision. “They are changing. They are being more open to it because they are being introduced to it.. love is love. The chemistry all the same. Same-sex, it just brings a different twist to it, because that’s something that needs to be addressed and out there.”

Dancing with the Stars host Tom Bergeron agrees, saying that “I think it is overdue.”

He was also asked how certain members of their viewing audience might feel, the host simply said, “Look In terms of real-life… why not, you know?”

The show’s Australian counterpart had already had a same-sex couple competing last season, while the U.K. version will include a same-sex couple in their upcoming season, as well.

While Dancing With the Stars had previously gotten some flack for having former White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer as a contestant, Rob Mills, ABC Entertainment’s senior VP of alternative series, said that is not likely to change in coming seasons.

“I think you never say never to anything,” Mills told Variety. “We would never say never to someone in politics. We would look at anything, potentially, if it were good for the show.”

Bergeron, meanwhile, recently popped up unexpectedly on another reality competition series, The Masked Singer. In Wednesday night’s episode, it was revealed that the host had been masquerading as the Taco. Bergeron was one of several celebrities sporting a costume this season, which so far has eliminated Lil Wayne, Drew Carey, Chaka Khan, Tony Hawk, and even the legendary Dionne Warwick.

Season 29 of Dancing with the Stars will premiere this fall on ABC.