Dancing With the Stars has just announced a long-rumored spinoff ahead of the Season 35 premiere, which is set to begin in the fall of 2026. Additionally, it shared who the host would be and what the exciting premise is. So, when will this DWTS one-off begin? Keep reading for all of the details and to see the first trailer.
DWTS Will Return This Fall
It had yet to be confirmed, but fans basically knew that DWTS would be back for Season 35. There was no reason for the hit dancing reality series to be canceled just yet. Moreover, it had a smashing Season 34 with Robert Irwin taking home the Len Goodman Mirrorball Trophy in the finale. It is April, so that usually means one of the first contestants is announced. At the Hulu Get Real Event on Wednesday, April 22nd, two of the celebrity dancers were announced. Love Island and The Traitors star Maura Higgins will compete in Season 35.
Joining Maura will be Summer House star Ciara Miller, who is right in the middle of a love triangle right now. She had dated co-star West Wilson and was best friends with Amanda Batula. As fans know, Amanda and West are now an item, so it is very messy. Now, onto the spinoff, which will be hosted by Robert Irwin. It will be called Dancing With the Stars: The Next Pro, and the goal is to find the next professional dancer before the new season. The synopsis is such:
“Dancing with the Stars: The Next Pro features 12 exceptional up-and-coming dancers who move into one house and compete in a grueling audition process. [They are] all vying for a coveted spot as a pro dancer on season 35 of Dancing with the Stars.”
Serving as judges will be pro and Mirrorball winner Mark Ballas, as well as his mother, Shirley. He is currently on Broadway alongside his former partner, Whit Leavitt, in Chicago. The spinoff is set to premiere on July 13th, and it is unclear how long it will run for. They may reveal the winner when they do the big cast announcement on GMA.
Will This Be A Hit?
Dancing With the Stars viewers love Australian-born Robert Irwin and his whole family. So, having him as the host is a great choice. They also adore Mark Ballas, so this could be a win. After the announcement was made, fans rushed to social media to share their feelings on the spinoff:
- I am so excited about this eeeek ❤️
- I knew it, let’s cha cha to our new dwts pro.🔥🔥❤️❤️
- Ohhh my goodness! I’m excited to see who will be the next pro! 😊
One fan had this to say, and it does have some validity to it:
- But we like the current pros 😭😭 even the former pros I would want back
There are pros from the past that have exited or seemingly vanished that viewers would love to have back. Yet, it is always great to find new and blooming talent.
Are you excited for the DWTS spinoff, and will you be tuning in? Let us know, but do not miss the premiere of Dancing With the Stars: The Next Pro on July 13th on ABC and streaming on Hulu.
Amanda has been a professional freelance writer for over a decade, holding both a BA and an MA. Her passions include animals, iced coffee, gnomes, summer, music, and ‘Vanderpump Rules’.
