Mark your calendar for the return of Dancing With the Stars!
The ABC dance competition returns for Season 34 on Tuesday, Sept. 16, at 8 p.m ET, ABC confirmed Thursday. The series’ two-hour time slot will then be followed by High Potential.
Videos by PopCulture.com
Although the full cast of celebrities and pros competing on Season 34 will likely be announced in September, ABC has announced four stars who will be heading to the ballroom to show off their skills.
Wildlife conservationist Robert Irwin was the first celebrity to be announced as a competitor on Season 34. After watching sister Bindi Irwin take home the Mirrorball Trophy in Season 21 of DWTS alongside pro Derek Hough, Robert said he was inspired to put on his own dancing shoes.
“This has been a dream of mine since I was a little kid watching my sister’s incredible journey on the show back in 2016,” he wrote on Instagram after being announced as a Season 34 competitor. “I cannot believe it is about to become a reality.”
Social media influencer Alix Earle was the second competitor to be announced. “I’ve always been a fan of Dancing With the Stars,” she said on Good Morning America at the time of her big reveal. “I used to watch it when I was so young with my grandma, and she always used to say to me, ‘Maybe one day you could be on there.’ I was always so in love with dance. When this opportunity came to me, it was like,’ what can I do next? Where can I take this?’ I’m ready to challenge myself. I think it’s going to be fun. It was a very obvious answer to say yes.”
The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives stars Whitney Leavitt and Jennifer Affleck will also be joining the cast during the Season 2 reunion of the hit Hulu show.
ABC has yet to make an official announcement about the pros who will be competing. Season 33 featured Jenna Johnson, Alan Bersten, Brandon Armstrong, Britt Stewart, Daniella Karagach, Emma Slater, Ezra Sosa, Gleb Savchenko, Pasha Pashkov, Rylee Arnold, Sasha Farber, Val Chmerkovskiy and Witney Carson.
Hough, Carrie Ann Inaba, and Bruno Tonioli are all expected to return to the judges’ panel for Season 34, as are co-hosts Alfonso Ribeiro and Julianne Hough.
Dancing With the Stars Season 34 premieres Tuesday, Sept. 16 at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.
More Reality
-
Mel B at the "America's Got Talent" Season 21 Red Carpet held at Pasadena Civic Auditorium on March 24, 2026 in Pasadena, California. (Photo by Jesse Grant/Variety via Getty Images) -
“Reverse the Curse” – Back from tribal, tensions rise following the exit of a particularly historic player. The final five immunity challenge ends in a showdown and features one of the closest finishes the show has ever seen. Jeff reveals the outcomes of the remaining in-game fan votes and how they impact the final stage of the competition. Then, one castaway will be crowned Sole Survivor and awarded the $2 million prize, during the three-hour live season finale, on SURVIVOR 50, Wednesday, May 20 (8:00-11:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network, and streaming on Paramount+ (live and on-demand for Paramount+ Premium plan subscribers, or on-demand for Paramount+ Essential subscribers the day after the episode airs)*. Jeff Probst serves as host and executive producer. Pictured: Aubry Bracco Photo: Robert Voets/CBS ©2025 CBS Broadcasting, Inc. All Rights Reserved. -
“A Side Dish of Chaos” – One castaway comes clean to the tribe about a previously deceptive move. The crowd favorite SURVIVOR auction returns, with an extra special season 50 spin. Chaos ensues when social media icon MrBeast arrives on the scene, on SURVIVOR 50, Wednesday, April 29 (8:00-10:00 PM, ET/PT). Photo: Robert Voets/CBS ©2025 CBS Broadcasting, Inc. All Rights Reserved. -
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – JANUARY 28: West Wilson, Amanda Batula and Jesse Solomon attend Bravo's "Summer House" Season 10 at 92NY on January 28, 2026 in New York City. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images) -
WEST HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA – APRIL 22: (L-R) Colin Dooley and Baylen Dupree attend the FYC screening of TLC's "Baylen Out Loud" at Pacific Design Center on April 22, 2025 in West Hollywood, California. (Photo by Amy Sussman/Getty Images for TLC)
