“Dancing with the Stars” Premiere Date Confirmed Following WGA Agreement

In a surprising turn of events, “Dancing With the Stars” is set to premiere on its planned date of Tuesday, Sept. 26. This announcement comes less than 24 hours after the Writers Guild of America (WGA) reached a tentative deal to end the 146-day strike, according to Variety.

ABC has confirmed that the premiere episode of “Dancing With the Stars” will be simulcast live on Disney+ as well.

Over the past few days, the show has faced backlash from the WGA, with picketing at rehearsals and pressure on celebrity cast members to bow out. Initially, ABC had planned to postpone the premiere, but with the recent resolution and vote with the WGA, all cast members, including WGA member Matt Walsh, are now able to return, as reported by Variety.

It’s important to note that while the WGA strike may be coming to an end, the strike by the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) is still ongoing. However, SAG-AFTRA has shown support for the cast of “Dancing With the Stars,” stating that members on the show are not violating union rules by participating.

The performers on “Dancing With the Stars” are cleared to work under SAG-AFTRA’s “Network Code” agreement, which is not part of the current strike. This includes the celebrity cast members, hosts, judges, and professional dancers. Notable cast members for Season 32 such as Alyson Hannigan, Jamie Lynn Spears, Barry Williams, Mira Sorvino, Ariana Madix, and Xochitl Gomez are also members of the union.

Although “Dancing With the Stars” is a reality show, it falls under the jurisdiction of the WGA due to the employment of one WGA writer. Had the show proceeded without the writer before the WGA reached a deal, they would have been re-hired once the strike ended. However, voting on the deal is scheduled for Tuesday, and WGA members have been instructed not to return to work until the strike order is officially lifted.

Despite the concerns raised, “Dancing With the Stars” is a vital part of ABC’s fall schedule, especially since many scripted shows have been affected by production shut-downs during the strike. This season, ABC has leaned heavily on unscripted programming, including the addition of more Monday Night Football games and the anticipated launch of “The Golden Bachelor.”

Other unscripted shows, such as “The Drew Barrymore Show,” “The Talk,” and “The Jennifer Hudson Show,” have opted to delay their premieres in response to the WGA picketing and have yet to announce their new return dates.

It’s worth noting that during the 2007-2008 writers strike, “Dancing With the Stars” continued production and re-hired its WGA writer once the strike was over.