Derek Hough judges “Dancing With the Stars,” and Len Goodman is out of the judgment scene.
Dancing With the Stars lost one more familiar face, but added another, ahead of Season 29. Derek Hough will be replacing Len Goodman, who is currently in the U.K. and can not travel due to COVID-19 limitations. However, Goodman remains in the show but a different capacity with sharing his ballroom expertise remotely while living in the U.K.
“This show has been and will always be incredibly special to me,” Hough said in a statement. “I just missed the rhinestones,” Hough said answering why he’s returning to a show he last competed on in 2016. He said he feels like coming home and is too excited to be back in the ballroom.
Dancing With the Stars, hosted by Tyra Banks, replacing longtime hosts Tom Bergeron and Erin Andrews. The Season 29 cast includes Carole Baskin (Tiger King), Chrishell Stause (Selling Sunset), Cheer coach Monica Aldama, rapper Nelly, Backstreet Boys alum AJ McLean and more.
“I think it’s important to continue to make sure that younger people are watching the show with their older family members, that co-viewing, of bringing everybody together,” Tyra Banks said.
She claimed that Carrie Ann and Bruno would definitely back, but they were trying to figure out how to incorporate Len Goodman because he is in England.
Andrew Llinares also said that they were looking at a few options and trying to figure out the best way for him to be part of the show in some way because he can’t physically be here. “He’s part of the family,” he added.
Derek Hough judges instead of Len Goodman
Julianne Hough, Derek Hough’s sister, previously served as a pro dancer on the show, later sat behind Dancing’s judging table on Seasons 19 through 21 as a guest judge.
Derek Hough will sit alongside returning staples, Carrie Ann Inaba and Bruno Tonioli, who has six Mirrorball win under his belt from his time as a pro partner. He competed as a pro for 17 seasons, winning the mirrorball all the six times, the most of any other pro. He took home first place with Brooke Burke (in season 7), Nicole Scherzinger (in season 10), Jennifer Grey (in season 11), Kellie Pickler (in season 16), Amber Riley (in season 17), and Bindi Irwin (in season 21). He has judged World of Dance for the past three seasons with Jennifer Lopez and Ne-Yo, and he has also been a fixture on recent Disney Family Singalong specials.
“Dancing with the Stars” season 29 details
Dancing With the Stars kicks off Monday, Sept. 14 at 8 p.m. Safety protocols, including regular coronavirus testing, eight-foot social distancing, and wearing masks, will be assist, except for each pro-celeb pair, who will dance closely without wearing masks. However, there will be a strict separation between the competing couples, and while the celebrities won’t have to quarantine, the pro dancers will.
Three married couples Emma Slater & Sasha Farber, Daniella Karagach & Pasha Pashkov, and Jenna Johnson & Val Chmerkovskiy, are part of the professional dancer troupe. They will be quarantined from each other to keep any positive coronavirus test from becoming a more massive outbreak.
The seats will not be empty. They’re redesigning the set with lots of new LED screens and different elements to make the ballroom look like it was designed to look this way.
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Originally published at https://usdaynews.com on September 8, 2020.
