'Dancing with the Stars' Fans Will Need Disney Plus to Watch the New Season
The new season of the long-running ABC show will premiere on Disney Plus this fall.
- Member of Screen Actors Guild and Actors Equity Association
Daniella Karagach and Iman Shumpert from Season 30 of Dancing with the Stars. The Mirrorball Trophy will be headed to Disney Plus next season.
Dancing with the Stars is sashaying its way over to Disney Plus. The series has been renewed for two more seasons, but will air exclusively on Disney's streaming service. The dancing competition will continue to air live and will become the first live show to appear on Disney Plus. The change will take place when the new season begins this fall.
"The show's broad appeal, as well as the overwhelming popularity of its Disney-themed competition nights, make Disney Plus the perfect home for 'Dancing with the Stars' while continuing to expand our demographic reach," said Kareem Daniel, the chairman of Disney Media and Entertainment Distribution.
Dancing with the Stars began on ABC in 2005 and finished its 30th season this fall, where it ranked among the top five unscripted series with adults ages 18 to 49, according to a release from Disney. Despite its success, last season's numbers slipped. November's championship episode marked a new low for a finale, with a total of 5.4 million viewers.
The move to Disney Plus looks to be another way for Disney to bolster its streaming services. The company faces continued competition from Netflix and the soon-to-be-merged Discovery and Warner Media conglomerate.
Currently, Disney Plus is available for $8 a month individually, or is included in the Disney Bundle with ESPN Plus and Hulu for $14 a month.