The upcoming season of Dancing With the Stars has been facing all kinds of drama — both strike-related and otherwise — and is now looking to postpone the premiere after cast members have begun backing out.
Season 32 of the ratings juggernaut for ABC will be hosted by Alfonso Ribeiro with Julianne Hough serving as co-host, and Bruno Tonioli, Carrie Ann Inaba and Derek Hough sitting in the judges’ chairs.
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The cast includes supermodel Tyson Beckford; actors Xochitl Gomez, Alyson Hannigan, Mira Sorvino, Matt Walsh, Barry Williams and Jamie Lynn Spears; reality stars Charity Lawson, Mauricio Umansky and Ariana Madix; singers Jason Mraz and Lele Pons; former NFL star Adrian Peterson and social media star Harry Jowsey.
ABC confirmed that the network is working on a postponement plan for the DWTS premiere after actor Matt Walsh decided to “pause” his involvement with Season 32.
Among its 500 or so staff members, Dancing With the Stars employs one WGA writer and therefore is covered by the WGA. Other performers are able to work on the show via SAG-AFTRA’s Network Code agreement, which is not part of the ongoing strike.
As strikers recently set up shop outside Dancing With the Stars, Walsh and others like Hannigan and Sorvino were also mentioned on picket signs. So Walsh’s move was most likely the start of what would be similar actions from other cast members.
