Carrie Ann Inaba, Derek Hough, and Bruno Tonioli are the three judges on ABC's Dancing With The Stars 2020. This show premiered in 2005 as the American edition of the British hit series Strictly Come Dancing. Since 2006, ABC has been broadcasting two DWTS seasons per year: one in the spring and one in the fall. However, this biannual schedule changed in 2019, which only had one season. Then, ABC didn't have much of an option in 2020, given that all TV shows that were scheduled to start filming in the spring or early summer were either canceled or postponed due to the COVID-19 social distancing guidelines.
For Dancing With The Stars season 29, the production team is making a lot of changes. The series has had the same hosts and judges since the very first season. This year, ABC wants to give the show a new face. In a shocking turn of events, longtime host Tom Bergeron has been replaced. Erin Andrews, who co-hosted the show since season 18, was also reportedly fired. This time around, DWTS will be hosted by supermodel and businesswoman Tyra Banks. On TV, Tyra is known for hosting and judging America's Next Top Model for many years. In recent times, she also had a one-year stint as the host of America's Got Talent.
As always, there will be three main judges on Dancing With The Stars this year: Carrie Ann Inaba, Bruno Tonioli, and newcomer Derek Hough. Carrie Ann's acting credits include In Living Color and Austin Powers in Goldmember. Currently, she also co-hosts The Talk. Bruno is a legendary dancer and choreographer. In the 1980s, he worked as a choreographer for music videos and world tours from acts like Elton John, Tina Turner, and Bananarama, to name a few. Moreover, Bruno is a judge on both Dancing With The Stars and Strictly Come Dancing. The show's third veteran judge, Len Goodman, won't return this year due to being unable to travel during the pandemic. Replacing him is Derek, who was a professional dancer on the show for many years. Derek still holds the record for most wins on the series: six.
The fans are a little reluctant to accept all of these changes going on with DWTS season 29. With that said, there's always the chance that these alterations will bring a breath of fresh air to the format and shake things up a bit. Furthermore, Derek Hough has been a staple in this series for many years, which means that his addition to the judging panel won't be as big of a shock to the longtime fans. Still, it is safe to say that many will miss Len Goodman's presence in the panel.
This season of Dancing With The Stars will include celebrities such as Chrishell Stause, Nelly, AJ McLean, Justina Machado, Monica Aldama, and Carole Baskin. On the season premiere, the fans will find out which professional dancers the celebrities will be paired up with. Then, the series will air weekly on ABC.
Dancing With The Stars season 29 premieres Monday, September 14 at 8pm EST on ABC.