Fans of “Dancing With the Stars” will see the return of a show veteran for season 33.
In an April 2024 interview with The Sun, original DWTS judge Bruno Tonioli addressed his 2022 departure from the U.K. dancing show “Strictly Come Dancing” and his new role on “Britain’s Got Talent.” He then clarified that he would return to the ABC ballroom as a judge for “Dancing With the Stars” season 33.
“I’m still doing the American [dancing show], and I’m very passionate about it,” the Italian choreographer told the outlet as he teased his return to the “Dancing With the Stars” panel.
Here’s what you need to know:
‘Dancing With the Stars’ Season 32 Was Difficult for Bruno Tonioli
Tonioli, 68, has been a judge on DWTS since 2005 alongside Carrie Ann Inaba, and with Derek Hough since 2020. Their longtime co-star and head judge Len Goodman passed away from cancer in April 2023 at age 79.
In October 2023, pro dancers from the “Dancing With the Stars” cast performed an emotional tribute to Goodman, which left the entire ballroom in tears. Tonioli was visibly shaken as the “Moon River” themed dance ended with a spotlight on Tonioli’s empty chair.
Tonioli told The Sun that he received a final message from his longtime friend not long before his death. “Len sent me a wonderful email just before he passed away, which is still very hard to talk about,” Tonioli shared. “I can’t even speak about him not being here. But that email meant a lot to me.”
During a previous appearance on “Live With Kelly and Mark,” Tonioli admitted that while he knew Goodman had been sick and was seeking treatment, he wasn’t expecting his death to ”happen so soon.”
“I actually got an email from him when it was announced that I was doing ‘Britain’s Got Talent,’ Tonioli told “Live” co-hosts Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos. “Very nice, and then it ended with a ‘Thank you.”
Tonioli became emotional as he said, “I actually, I can’t [talk about it] because Len would hate doing this. He’d be like, ‘Oh, get up, Bruno. You’re a lucky man and we had a great life. We had a great time, enjoy! Make every day count and have a good time.’ And that’s his spirit, so we have to celebrate him because the life he would want is [that].”
Julianne Hough Will Also Return to ‘Dancing With the Stars’ For Season 33
The official cast for “Dancing With the Stars” season 33 has not been confirmed by ABC. Contestants for the celebrity dance-off usually aren’t announced until late August or early September. But In March, Deadline confirmed that Julianne Hough will be back as co-host for DWTS season 33 this fall.
The casting news came not long after Hough announced the cancelation of her “Dancing with the Stars Live” tour dates due to a scheduling conflict. According to Us Weekly, in February Hough shared the update on her Instagram story. “I’ve been so looking forward to getting to connect with all our amazing fans on the road and perform live alongside the DWTS Tour cast for select dates,” she told fans on Instagram. “However, due to a change in my production shooting schedule, a conflict has come up. I will no longer be able to join the tour for my scheduled dates.”
Hough’s return to the “Dancing With the Stars” ballroom this fall will likely be alongside co-host Alfonso Ribeiro. The full cast will be announced later in 2024.
