With the ongoing SAG-AFTRA and WGA strikes in Hollywood, reality shows have continued on but are still struggling, and Dancing With The Stars only has one confirmed contestant as of now. The reality competition series started airing on ABC in 2005, and made history by moving over to the streaming service Disney Plus last season. However, DWTS season 32 will premiere on ABC again as a part of the network’s fall lineup.

DWTS season 32 is already highly-anticipated, especially now that Vanderpump Rules star Ariana Madix will officially be a contestant. But amid the strikes that are happening with writers and actors, there haven’t been any other stars confirmed to be on the new season yet. According to THR, reality competition shows like DWTS may still be affected by the strikes, stating, “One question mark heading into the fall is whether competition shows that have typically included actors as hosts, judges and contestants, such as Fox’s The Masked Singer and ABC’s Dancing With the Stars, will be impacted.”

Reality Stars Can Still Be A Part Of SAG-AFTRA

Even though reality shows don’t seem to be directly affected by the strikes, there are still many reality TV stars who are part of SAG-AFTRA. “Reality stars can be part of SAG-AFTRA under the National Code of Fair Practice for Network Television Broadcasting, which is distinct from the film and TV collective bargaining agreement that had been the focus of negotiations between the union and the AMPTP,” THR reported. Since reality competition shows usually include celebrities who also act in movies and television shows, they will likely turn down appearances on shows such as DWTS, which greatly affects the casting options.

Although DWTS usually includes a mix of both reality stars and other types of celebrities, the variety of contestants is what makes the show interesting. Ariana accepted the offer to appear on DWTS earlier in July, which was before the actors began going on strike. The show does have the option to cast celebrities who are only reality stars to be paired up with professional dancers. On the other hand, there may not be enough people willing to join, especially if they’re currently filming their own reality shows.

During the fall TV season, networks will rely heavily on reality shows to stay afloat, but this may come with another set of issues as well. Reality TV shows used to be easy and affordable to make, but as the genre expanded and cast members like Ariana became more popular, the expectations are higher. Recently, reality stars and production crew members have opened up about demanding more pay for their hard work since they’re not compensated fairly. Hopefully, these issues will be worked out soon and Dancing With The Stars can continue casting more celebrities to be a part of the show.