NBC Cancels ‘World of Dance’ After 4 Seasons

When NBC announced its summer reality competition slate last week, World of Dance Season 5 was conspicuously missing. That is because the network has canceled the series. The show’s four seasons featured Jennifer Lopez, Ne-Yo and Derek Hough as judges, with Scott Evans as host. Lopez was among the executive producers.

NBC does not plan on airing a fifth season, Deadline reported Monday. The fourth season aired between May and August 2020 and ended with the group MDC 3 winning the $1 million prize. The series debuted in May 2017 and was a strong ratings performer for NBC through the first three seasons. However, Season 4 saw a drop in interest from audiences. The first two seasons were hosted by Jenna Dewan, with Evans replacing her for Seasons 3 and 4.

The decision came after NBC announced its summer competition slate, which will only include three shows this summer. American Ninja Warrior Season 13 will start on Monday, May 31, with America’s Got Talent Season 16 starting on Tuesday, June 1. Making It Season 3 will start on Thursday, June 3.

World of Dance marked a return to judging a reality show for Lopez, who previously worked on American Idol. “This was a surprise idea to go back to judging after American Idol,” Lopez told Variety in 2017. “I didn’t think I’d be doing that so soon, but at the end of the day, it’s about the quality of the project and what moves me as an artist, and this is what I wanted to do.”

While ratings might have played a role in the decision to cancel the series, Lopez’s schedule was likely an issue too. The singer is now in the Dominican Republic filming Shotgun Wedding and recently finished Marry Me, a comedy scheduled for February 2022. In January, Lopez also sang “America the Beautiful” and “This Land Is Your Land” at President Joe Biden’s inauguration.

On Friday, sources told multiple outlets that Lopez and Alex Rodriguez broke up and ended their engagement. However, on Saturday morning, the two said they were still together and are “working through some things.” Rodriguez also told photographers outside his gym in Miami he was not single. The two have been engaged since 2019 and began dating two years earlier. On Monday, Rodriguez shared a photo from the Dominican Republic. “Happy Monday. New week. New day. Onward. Upward,” he wrote and made sure to tag Lopez on the post.