Cast Reveal and Premiere Details
"Dancing with the Stars" is set to return for its 35th season with a two-night premiere on Tuesday, Sept. 15, and Wednesday, Sept. 16, at 8 p.m. ET on ABC and Disney+, as announced by multiple outlets including ABC News and the Los Angeles Times. The full cast of 16 celebrities was unveiled live on "Good Morning America" on Wednesday, Sept. 2, according to reports from ABC News, M Live Michigan and others.
The season brings together a diverse group of competitors: actors like Jenna Dewan, Julia Stiles and Harry Shum Jr.; reality TV personalities such as Ciara Miller and Maura Higgins; athletes including Paralympian Ezra Frech and Olympic figure skater Amber Glenn; and celebrity chef Giada De Laurentiis. Alfonso Ribeiro and Julianne Hough return as co-hosts, with Derek Hough, Carrie Ann Inaba and Bruno Tonioli back as judges, as reported by Billboard and the Los Angeles Times.
Celebrity-Pro Pairings
Several outlets, including Asbury Park Press and the Gainesville Sun, listed the full lineup of pairings:
- Tatyana Ali with Jan Ravnik
- Tyler Cameron with Sharna Burgess
- Giada De Laurentiis with Alan Bersten
- Jenna Dewan with Val Chmerkovskiy
- Ezra Frech with Daniella Karagach
- Amber Glenn with Pasha Pashkov
- Taylor Hanson with Britt Stewart
- Maura Higgins with Mark Ballas
- Conner Leavitt with Adele Zaikman
- Ciara Miller with Brandon Armstrong
- Sarah Jane Nader with Hailey Bills
- Jackson Olson with Emma Slater
- Guillermo Rodriguez with Witney Carson
- Harry Shum Jr. with Jenna Johnson
- Julia Stiles with Ezra Sosa
- Connor Wood with Rylee Arnold
These pairings were corroborated across several sources, including the Asbury Park Press, Gainesville Sun, and Page Six. The Los Angeles Times also confirmed key pairings such as Dewan with Chmerkovskiy, Shum Jr. with Johnson, and Cameron with Burgess.
Notable Storylines
The season features several notable angles. Sarah Jane Nader and her pro partner Hailey Bills represent the third same-sex pairing in "Dancing with the Stars" history, as reported by M Live Michigan and nj.com. This follows previous pairings like JoJo Siwa with Jenna Johnson in 2021 and Shangela with Gleb Savchenko in 2022, according to those same outlets.
Maura Higgins and her partner Mark Ballas previously appeared together on the last season of "The Traitors," as noted by the Gainesville Sun and Herald-Tribune. The show also marks the return of reigning pro champion Witney Carson, paired with Guillermo Rodriguez, per Page Six.
Tyler Cameron, a "Bachelorette" alum from Jupiter, Florida, is the only Floridian in the cast this season, according to TCPalm and the Gainesville Sun. The local angle was emphasized by Florida-based outlets, highlighting his background as a general contractor and restaurant co-owner.
Giada De Laurentiis shared her initial experience with the show during the "Good Morning America" segment, saying "the dancing is a lot rougher than I thought it would be," as reported by the Los Angeles Times.
Premiere Format and Viewing Information
Season 35 features a special two-night premiere format. According to the Mechanicsburg Patriot News, the male celebrities compete on Night One, while the female celebrities make their debuts on Night Two, with one celebrity eliminated at the end of each night. This format was not detailed in other outlets' coverage reviewed.
Episodes air live at 8 p.m. ET on ABC and Disney+, with streaming available on Hulu the following day, as reported by ABC News and the Asbury Park Press. For cord-cutters, Billboard noted several streaming options including DirecTV, Fubo, and Hulu + Live TV, many offering free trials.
Season 34 Context
Season 34, which aired in September 2025, marked the show's 20th anniversary and was the highest-rated and most-watched season in 10 years, according to the Gainesville Sun and Herald-Tribune. Robert Irwin, son of the late Steve Irwin, took home the Len Goodman Mirrorball trophy on the Season 34 live finale on Nov. 25, 2025, as reported by those same outlets.
Casting producer Deena Katz and executive producer Conrad Green have described their strategy of building casts that appeal to both older viewers and a newer Gen Z audience, as reported by Newsweek. Green credited celebrities' and professional dancers' social media activity with helping the program reach a younger generation, according to the same article.
As Season 35 begins, the show continues its tradition of bringing together a wide range of personalities, from established actors to social media stars, all vying for the Mirrorball Trophy.