Dancing with the Stars may have Maksim Chmerkovskiy back into the mix next season while fellow pro Derek Hough has confirmed he'll definitely be returning for the show's upcoming seventeenth edition.
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"Maks is part of the family," ABC president Paul Lee told reporters during a Television Critics Association press tour presentation on Sunday, according to People.
"He may well be back. We love having him be part of the show."
Chmerkovskiy was absent from the reality dancing competition's most recent sixteenth season. He announced his departure in February, explaining in a media statement that after seven years of being a part of Dancing with the Stars, he was eager to "explore other opportunities" such as producing and acting.
Chmerkovskiy -- who has competed in 13 of Dancing with the Stars' prior seasons but never won -- had previously revealed he planned to leave the show when his contract expired after Season 17, which will premiere on Monday, September 16 at 8PM ET/PT.
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In addition, Hough said he will certainly be back next season and is anticipating the weekly broadcasts to be especially entertaining now that the performance and result shows will be tied into one episode.
"Yes," Hough replied when Access Hollywood asked him if he'll be competing again. "And the format's changing. We've got one show a week now, but I think it'll make a better show, more jam packed. And so I'm excited about it."
Hough won Dancing with the Stars' sixteenth season with country star and former American Idol finalist Kellie Pickler as his celebrity partner.
But Hough also apparently has another project going on the side. He will be hosting Family Dance Off, a one-hour special that will feature families competing before a live studio audience for a prize of $10,000 and air on ABC on Sunday, August 25.
"It's a very fun show. People always ask me when is it a normal person's turn? Like when can I dance? I want to dance, but I'm not a celebrity or a professional dancer. So that's what this is. It's for the average person to get up there and dance and rock it," Hough told Access Hollywood.
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"It was awesome. It was awesome to work on."
About The Author: Elizabeth Kwiatkowski