Leah Remini Makes 'So You Think You Can Dance' Debut After Matthew Morrison's Exit

By Allison Schonter

Leah Remini on Wednesday added a new credit to her name when she joined the judge's table on So You Think You Can Dance for the very first time. Remini, who filled the seat left vacant following former judge Matthew Morrison's firing, joined fellow judges Jojo Siwa and Stephen 'tWitch' Boss as the hit Fox series unveiled its top 12 contestants.

Although neither Remini's first appearance nor Morrison's exit were addressed during the show, Remini did express her excitement at joining the popular competition series on social media. On Instagram, Remini shared a photo of herself at the judge's table while reflecting on her excitement to be working closely with Siwa. The actress wrote noted that she has "known [Jojo Siwa] for years and I've always been so proud of her. Tonight, we start working together and I couldn't be happier." She also tweeted about her SYTYCD debut just prior to the show, encouraging fans to "tune in tonight to 300th episode" of the series, as she would be "making by debut as a judge."

Following the episode, Remini expressed her gratitude. On Twitter, she wrote, "thank you so much to [Cat Deeley], [Jojo Siwa], and [tWitch] for the warm welcome. And a big thank you to the producers and crew of [So You Think You Can Dance] for making me feel at home!" She went on to tease, "we're just getting started," adding in a follow-up tweet, "I love working" on the show.

The former Dancing With the Stars Season 17 competitor's Wednesday night debut came after it was confirmed Remini would be replacing Morrison. Fox announced earlier this month that Morrison was exiting the show shortly after its Season 17 premiere, with Morrison explaining exiting that the decision to leave was left out of his hands after he failed to "follow competition protocols." It was later reported that Morrison was fired due to an "inappropriate relationship" with a female contestant.

Fox announced on June 15 that Remini would be joining the judge's table beginning with the show's 300th episode. In a statement at the time, Remini said she was "thrilled to join So You Think You Can Dance on its milestone 300th episode," adding that she looks "forward to guiding these incredibly talented artists through this competition as a fan of the show and a great admirer of dancers. I can't wait to see the artistry that the contestants bring to the stage!" New episodes of So You Think You Can Dance air Wednesdays on Fox.

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