DWTS Season 35 Judges and Hosts: Who Is Returning?

Dancing with the Stars Season 35 is keeping the ballroom familiar at the judges’ table and behind the microphone. The expected lineup has Carrie Ann Inaba, Derek Hough and Bruno Tonioli returning as judges, with Alfonso Ribeiro and Julianne Hough continuing as co-hosts. ABC has scheduled a dedicated judges-and-hosts reveal on Good Morning America for September 1, one day before the full Season 35 celebrity cast is unveiled. Barring a surprise during that announcement, Season 35 will therefore preserve the same core on-air team that guided the show’s recent resurgence while introducing major changes among its celebrities and professional dancers.

Who are the DWTS Season 35 judges?

Carrie Ann Inaba, Derek Hough and Bruno Tonioli are expected back at the judges’ table for Season 35.

Related: Who Won DWTS: The Next Pro? Adele Zaikman Joins Season 35

Carrie Ann and Bruno remain the longest-serving members of the panel, having been associated with Dancing with the Stars since its first season in 2005. Their judging personalities have become part of the show’s identity, with Carrie Ann frequently emphasizing performance quality, lifts and emotional connection while Bruno brings a more theatrical style of critique.

Derek represents a newer generation of the judging panel. After winning six Mirrorball trophies as a professional dancer, he transitioned into judging and has been a permanent member of the panel since Season 29.

Together, the three have now developed a stable dynamic following the retirement and death of longtime head judge Len Goodman.

Are there any new permanent judges for Season 35?

There has been no reliable indication that ABC is adding a fourth permanent judge for Season 35.

DWTS regularly brings in guest judges for themed nights or important episodes, and that will likely continue. The Next Pro finale itself demonstrated how easily familiar franchise figures such as Derek Hough, Kym Johnson or other former pros can rotate into judging roles when producers want a different perspective.

That should not be confused with changing the permanent panel.

Season 35 is expected to begin with Carrie Ann, Derek and Bruno as the regular judges, with guest appearances potentially announced later as individual episodes approach.

Who is hosting Dancing with the Stars Season 35?

Alfonso Ribeiro and Julianne Hough are expected to continue as co-hosts. Alfonso joined the hosting team in Season 31 after previously winning Season 19 as a celebrity contestant with Witney Carson. His long connection to the franchise gives him an unusual understanding of what competitors are experiencing while also making him comfortable handling the unpredictable pace of a live broadcast.

Julianne joined him as co-host beginning with Season 32. Her DWTS history is even broader. She won twice as a professional dancer, later served as a judge and eventually returned in a hosting role.

Their partnership means Season 35 once again has two hosts who have actually competed inside the ballroom rather than simply presenting the show from the sidelines.

Why is ABC revealing the judges and hosts separately?

ABC has turned Season 35’s rollout into a series of smaller announcements rather than revealing everything at once.

The network has already confirmed individual celebrity contestants, including Ciara Miller, Maura Higgins, Jackson Olson and Guillermo Rodriguez. Witney Carson and Sharna Burgess were also separately announced as returning pros, while Adele Zaikman’s victory on The Next Pro automatically earned her another Season 35 professional position.

The judges-and-hosts announcement comes on September 1, followed by the full celebrity cast and professional pairings on September 2.

That staggered schedule gives DWTS multiple news moments before the September premiere instead of allowing the entire lineup to disappear into one large announcement.

When does DWTS Season 35 premiere?

Season 35 begins with a special two-night premiere on September 15 and September 16.

The show normally settles into a Tuesday-night schedule, but ABC is giving the anniversary season a four-hour launch across two consecutive nights. That immediately makes the opening week larger than a standard DWTS premiere.

Season 35 also arrives after a particularly successful Season 34, which produced the show’s strongest finale audience in years and continued DWTS’ strong performance among younger viewers.

The familiar judges and hosts will therefore return to a show that is not trying to rebuild itself. Instead, most of the uncertainty surrounding Season 35 now concerns the celebrities, returning professionals and unexpected partnerships that will be revealed next.