Dancing with the Stars will air a special mini-season in Spring 2018 that will feature only athletes.
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ABC has announced that, instead of a typical approximately nine-week season, Dancing with the Stars will air a mini all-athletes edition in the spring of next year, with Season 26 of the series premiering in Fall 2018.
Dancing with the Stars host Tom Bergeron officially revealed the big news during Tuesday night's finale of Season 25 after Jordan Fisher and pro Lindsay Arnold were crowned champions.
"We're going to see you in the spring for a special four-week all-athletes edition of Dancing with the Stars!" Bergeron said while signing off at the end of the night.
The cast of athletes will be comprised of 10 celebrity and professional pairings.
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"Ten athletes from all corners of the sports world will be teamed up with the show's professional dancers and compete on the ballroom floor for a chance to win the coveted Mirrorball trophy," ABC said in a statement.
The mini-season will be hosted by Bergeron and co-hosted by Erin Andrews.
The athletes will perform choreographed dance routines that are judged by a panel of renowned ballroom experts as well as viewers at home.
Athletes have a history of doing incredibly well on Dancing with the Stars. Past contestants from the sports world who have competed include Emmitt Smith, Hines Ward, Donald Driver, Rashad Jennings, Apolo Anton Ohno, Kristi Yamaguchi, Shawn Johnson, Meryl Davis, Laurie Hernandez, and Helio Castroneves.
It's still unclear what ABC will be airing in Spring 2018 instead of a regular Dancing with the Stars season, but the network's previously-announced slate of new shows includes The Bachelor Winter Games, Dancing with the Stars Junior, and its American Idol revival.
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Bergeron first announced the change in Dancing with the Stars' format and schedule next year in a couple of Twitter posts on Monday.
"There will be a mini-Spring season (4 Weeks). Not DWTS Junior. More info Tuesday," Bergeron had tweeted ahead of the Dancing with the Stars' Season 25 finals.
After questions and comments poured in from concerned fans on Twitter, Tom elaborated, "Season 26 of @DancingABC will be next Fall. The 4 week mini-season in the Spring is a bite size, spray tanned spinoff."
Dancing with the Stars is produced by BBC Worldwide Productions with Ashley Edens-Shaffer and Joe Sungkur serving as executive producers.
About The Author: Elizabeth Kwiatkowski