Dancing with the Stars will be two-stepping its way back to viewers' television screens this fall!
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ABC revealed in December 2018 Dancing with the Stars would unfortunately not be returning in early 2019, but network executive Karey Burke has confirmed the series will definitely be back later this year, Entertainment Tonight reported.
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"I can confirm that it will definitely be returning in the fall," Burke told reporters at ABC's Winter Television Critics Association press tour on Tuesday, according to ET.
Until recently, Dancing with the Stars had a long history of airing spring and fall seasons every year.
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As for whether Dancing with the Stars will resume airing a twice-a-year format, Burke reportedly said ABC is "in conversations" about it.
"[The Dancing with the Stars team is] coming in soon to talk... about their plans for the fall, and we'll discuss it then," she told reporters, according to ET.
When ABC announced its lineup of mid-season programming last year, it stretched from early January 2019 to June 2019, but Season 28 of Dancing with the Stars was noticeably left off the schedule.
The network's decision to delay the next season of Dancing with the Stars seemingly stemmed from the fact Season 27 of the reality dancing competition averaged about 20 percent fewer viewers than the previous year's average.
The hiatus for 2019 also didn't come as much of a surprise given ABC is faced with the same issue they had in Spring 2018, when the network chose to air an abbreviated four-week "athletes edition" due to The Bachelor and American Idol's heavy broadcast schedule.
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The Bachelor is currently airing its 23rd season in Dancing with Stars' usual Monday-night time period through March 11, and Deadline previously reported American Idol will air episodes on both Sunday and Monday nights once The Bachelor concludes. (American Idol premieres Sunday, March 3 on ABC).
Dancing with the Stars pro Sharna Burgess, who won Season 27 with her celebrity partner Bobby Bones, recently admitted to ET, however, she was "incredibly surprised" by ABC's decision to skip over a spring edition.
"This show is such a fan favorite," Sharna reasoned.
"I mean, come on, it's not going anywhere! We're going to do 30, 35, maybe 45 seasons! I'll have babies and be married, retired by that point, but this is DWTS... it isn't going anywhere."
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