FOX has announced the premiere date for So You Think You Can Dance season 17. The show was originally supposed to premiere in summer 2020, with season 16 judges Laurieann Gibson, Mary Murphy, and Nigel Lythgoe set to return alongside host Cat Deeley. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, season 17 was postponed. When SYTYCD didn't return the following summer, the series was shelved indefinitely. Many fans assumed the show would never return, until it was rumored to be coming back after Nigel hinted at a new season during his reunion with American Idol host Ryan Seacrest, on his radio show On Air With Ryan Seacrest. Shortly after this, the show was confirmed to be returning.
While Nigel had been teasing the return of So You Think You Can Dance, he nor the fans had any idea what would come shortly after. Nigel announced on Twitter that he wasn't asked to be a judge on the upcoming season: "I am so thrilled that America’s young aspiring dance talent will get to work with some of our greatest creative choreographers. On a personally sad note, I have not been asked to be on the judging panel this season. I don’t know who will be saying “Cue Music” but I wish them well." This left SYTYCD fans furious, as many believe the show could never be the same without Nigel on the panel. With Nigel's departure confirmed, it still wasn't announced whether or not Mary, Laurieann, or Cat would also return to the show.
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Now, FOX has answered all of fans' questions about So You Think You Can Dance's long-awaited return. According to Deadline, season 17 will premiere on Wednesday, May 18 at 9/8c, following the season 7 finale of The Masked Singer. Cat Deeley will return as host, but Mary and Laurieann will not return as judges. Instead, the panel will consist of two brand new judges and one returning judge. Stephen 'tWitch' Boss, the runner-up of season 4, and season 15 judge, will sit alongside JoJo Siwa and Matthew Morrison. Although he will not be judging the show, Nigel Lythgoe is listed in the announcement as an executive producer.
While the season 17 panel will feature brand new faces, they are no stranger to dancing on television. In addition to 'tWitch' being a familiar SYTYCD face, Matthew Morrison spent years starring on the hit FOX show Glee, singing and dancing in a major leading role. Plus, judged two seasons of the UK competition The Greatest Dancer, created by former American Idol and current America's Got Talent judge Simon Cowell. And, JoJo Siwa was just a runner-up on Dancing With The Stars, making history by being part of the first same-sex couple with partner Jenna Johnson. Jenna was even a So You Think You Can Dance contestant.
How fans will react to this SYTYCD news may be up in the air. They'll most likely be thrilled to see Cat back as host, but missing the iconic duo of Nigel and Mary. Like Cat, they were show staples. That being said, the new panel may very well bring some much-needed buzz to a show that was actually not performing so well when it left the air. 'tWitch' can offer some nostalgia, while JoJo and Matthew have major credibility. JoJo just competed in a similar show, plus she may attract more young viewers. Like JoJo, Matthew has performed for years on stage and screen. All things considered, time will tell if FOX made the right decisions by bringing back So You Think You Can Dance with this cast.
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Sources: Nigel Lythgoe OBE/Twitter, Deadline