A major FOX show is finally returning, after two-year hiatus. TV Line reports that So You Think You Can Dance is coming back for Season 17, which has been long delayed mainly due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. The outlet adds that it is unclear if Cat Deely will be returning as the host, and there is also no word on which judges — Nigel Lythgoe, Mary Murphy and Laurieann Gibson — will be back.
So You Think You Can Dance Season 17 was first announced back in early 2020, right before the global spread of coronavirus caused shutdowns and lockdowns across the world. “Production on Season 17 of SYTYCD will not be moving forward due to health and governmental restrictions in response to the COVID-19 pandemic,” a FOX representative revealed in June 2020, per TV Line. “As a result, while we were looking forward to its return this summer, we cannot meet the standards we’ve set for viewers and contestants in light of the show’s unique format, intricate production schedule and limited time.”
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In February, Lythgoe did a virtual interview with Ryan Seacrest’s radio show, telling the host that he believed So You Think You Can Dance was “going to come back this year,” per MJs Big Blog. The longtime dance show judge then added, “No one is really contacted me yet, but there’s rumors that it’s going to come back.” Lythgoe continued, “Obviously, during the Covid period, it was really difficult to create a bubble because we had so many different choreographers coming in and and you are swapping partners. So it’s very difficult to do during this terrible pandemic. But hopefully we’ll come into the end of it now and [So You Think You Can Dance] will come back.”
Over on the official So You Think You Can Dance, fans have been cheering about the news of the show’s return. “This post just gave our hearts the biggest smile! We can’t wait!” one follower gleefully commented on the announcement post. “Sooo happy more dancers get to experience this life changing show,” commented former So You Think You Can Dance runner-up Tiffany Maher. “Best of luck to all! Get ready for an incredible journey.” A third person added, “Awesome! Hopefully it won’t be all professionals like in the past few years. Give everyone a chance.” At this time, there is not an announced premiere date of the new season.
