Hollywood Life: See who’s returning
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Dancing with the Stars returns to the ballroom with familiar faces for season 33!
As yet to be revealed celebrities prepare to compete against each other with their respective partner, they will be welcomed by co-hosts JulianneHough and AlfonsoRibeiro who won the Mirrorball Trophy in season 19.
This not their first hosting together. The 52-year old actor has hosted the show since 2022. Originally, he was partnered with TyraBanks. The 36-year old professional dancer became his co-host in season 32. Their chemistry goes way back, as Julianne was a judge on the season Alfonso won.
In a 2023 interview with Entertainment Tonight, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air actor shared, “Our chemistry, I think, is going to be fantastic. We’ve been friends for a long time. We sat and had lunch, then two-and-a half hours later, we were saying, “I guess we should go home and do stuff.” And I think that kind of chemistry will come through to the audience on the show. We sat and had lunch, and two-and-a-half hours later, we’re going, ‘I guess we should go home and do stuff.’ And I think that kind of chemistry and friendship is going to come through on the show to the audience.”
While Alfonso and Julianne will be encouraging the dancers, the ones putting them to the test will be returning judges Carrie Ann Inaba, Bruno Tonioli, and Derek Hough — a six-time mirrorball champion, Julianne’s brother, and former pro dancer.
This trio has been judging together since 2020, doing the show during the pandemic. The trio was last joined by late judge and dance critic, Len Goodman who is the name of the trophy. He died in 2023 at the age of 78. The Len Goodman Mirrorball Trophy will be presented to the winner of this year’s season.