Dancing with the Stars Season 34 Cast
The first four official celebrities in the Dancing with the Stars season 34 cast are wildlife conservationist Robert Irwin, social media star Alix Earle, and reality stars Whitney Leavitt and Jennifer Affleck. Yep, every year the ballroom gets a wild assortment from snake-handling Aussies to TikTok celebs and reality TV faces, so the cast is shaping up to deliver drama and surprises.
You know, when Robert Irwin was revealed, he showed up shirtless and carrying a snake at a Hulu event, which, let’s be real, set the bar sky-high for memorable grand entrances.
The rest of the cast (plus which professionals they'll be paired with) hasn’t been announced yet. That always leaves me imagining which wild card is waiting in the wings, maybe a retired NFL player, a viral chef, or even a former governor. My grandma always bets on the athlete. She says they’ve got the footwork. I say it’s the soap stars. We'll see who gets it right come premiere night.
Dancing with the Stars Season 34 Premiere Date
Season 34 officially premieres on Tuesday, September 16, 2025. The anticipation always ramps up as September hits. I love the way everyone seems to suddenly dust off their sequins and rhinestones, even if their dance moves head straight for "awkward middle school slow dance." Below is an Instagram post shared by dancingwiththestars account releases the Premiere Date:
https://www.instagram.com/p/DMv1zj7MOh1/?
The first episode is often brimming with nerves, friendly trash-talk, and a couple of surprising missteps (remember that time someone tripped just getting onto the stage? Classic). Showtime is 8 p.m. ET/PT on ABC, so get your snacks sorted early.
Dancing with the Stars Season 34 Streaming Service
You can catch episodes live on both ABC and Disney+, with next-day streaming available on Hulu. I genuinely appreciate this triple-threat of viewing options. Sometimes you want the big-screen, family-in-the-living-room vibe that ABC delivers, other times you’re sneaking a peek on your phone at work (Disney+, I’m looking at you), or doing a Thursday-night binge on Hulu.
In recent years, more reality shows have gone the simultaneous broadcast-streaming route, but DWTS does it with so much more sparkle.
Dancing with the Stars Season 34 Hosts and Judges
The hosts remain the ever-charismatic Alfonso Ribeiro and Julianne Hough. Honestly, Ribeiro’s wit plus Hough’s musical energy bring a relaxed, slightly mischievous banter to the stage, like when Alfonso tries to demo a dance move, usually with Julianne giggling near the sidelines. Below is an Instagram post shared by therealalfonsoribeiro with the host @juleshough:
https://www.instagram.com/p/DNW0a2gCrld/?
As for judges, you'll see Carrie Ann Inaba, Bruno Tonioli, and Derek Hough. Sometimes I swear the three operate as rival energy sources: a passionate cheerleader (Carrie Ann), a flamboyant entertainer (Bruno), and a thoughtful technician (Derek). They rarely agree, but that’s half the fun.
