‘Dancing With The Stars’ Reportedly Still Haywire Hours To Season 34’s First Dance

“Dancing With The Stars^[1]” is apparently not starting on a good foot, at least that is reportedly the state of things backstage.

So many avoidables and unavoidables have allegedly been plaguing the smooth unveiling of the 34th season of the dancing show, with the bulk of the problem stemming from their celebrity line-up of participants.

“Dancing With The Stars” new season boasts a star-studded cast list, including popular figures such as Olympic gymnast Jordan Chiles, Alix Earle, Robert Irwin, Corey Feldman, and many others.

Sources close to the show reveal that the vibrations coming from backstage all point towards very mediocre preparation for the event. An insider revealed that some dance professionals have now constantly complained about their lazy celebrity partners.

“This season is a sh-t show. They chose a few stars – and I use that term loosely – who just don’t want to put in the work. Some just don’t seem as committed as others have in the past,” added the insider.

Feldman has been listed as one of the most underprepared celebrities for the show, which is set to begin airing on Tuesday. He reportedly went missing for five days on set, skipping rehearsals and other important briefings.

“So many people have been like, “Where are your TikToks with Corey? What’s happening?” To be completely honest, I actually haven’t seen him since Good Morning America,” shared his partner, Jenna Johnson.

According to The Daily Mail^[2], the cast had initially appeared on GMA for their reveal on September 3, after which Feldman disappeared.

The truancy of some famous cast members and complaints from their pro dancers’ partners are not the only low points of this upcoming season. The show reportedly suffered a disappointing setback when one contestant dropped out at a crucial moment.

Hudson, a 24-year-old beauty queen, and her team were unable to reach an agreement with “DWTS,” leading to a breakdown in negotiations and a search for an urgent replacement.

“Jordon mentioned she wasn’t interested in doing certain interviews and she wanted to control loads, including picking her dance partner and when to practice, so she could attend games with Bill,” an insider explained.

The source continued that the pageant queen was also not on board with the direction her story was billed to take on the show, as it seemed to want to profit off the controversy surrounding her personal life.

The 24-year-old had caught the attention of the show producers after she broke headlines for dating her head coach beau, who is nearly 5 decades older than her.

Fifth Harmony’s Lauren Jauregui seemingly came to the rescue and was signed two days before the cast was unveiled on GMA. 

More close sources have claimed that the pro dancers are the ones bearing the brunt of these unfair pairings, which has made it less adventurous for them.

“People don’t realize that, but this is just like an office job. There are favorites and bosses and office politics. And sometimes you don’t agree with your boss’s choices,” a source explained.

They referenced the unfair and almost unnecessary inclusion of Anna Delvey on last year’s season, which robbed her partner, Ezra Sosa, of a quality experience.

The insider stated that more attention was focused on Delvey, her ankle monitor, and her history of crimes and scams, rather than Sosa’s prowess as a skilled dancer. In the source’s words:

“It’s demoralizing to be given someone who isn’t going to try, or has no chance. You feel like you’re being set up to fail.”

For this season, Sosa has been paired with Chiles, a gymnast, a move that a source backstage described as a weak attempt at a peace offering for what they did to him last season.

There is no doubt that strong candidates are billed to take the money home this season, but trends from the last decades are proving that it takes more than ballroom knowledge to clinch the winning title.

As shared by The Blast^[3], a source identified these trends, including age and fanbase, as two of the most important signifiers of a winner. For instance, the age of 28 has been declared the average among past winners, which sees contestants like Chiles, Alix Earle, and Jauregui fitting in conveniently.

That is not all; contestants with a very formidable and viral following on social media can leverage this into voting strength and trust, coasting to victory despite technical critiques from judges.

The actress would join her industry colleagues for a graceful tussle to take the Len Goodman Mirrorball trophy home. Her decision to kick some moves on the dancefloor for the prize was shaped by her diagnosis and completion of cancer treatment.

The actress affirmed that she suddenly realized how much having fun had taken a backseat in her life, and when the call came in for her to join the new season, she did not hesitate to agree.

The Blast^[4] noted that Fishel was first diagnosed with ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) in 2024 and immediately went in for a lumpectomy and margin revision surgery. 

Fishel will join social media personality, Jenn Affleck, Hilaria Baldwin, Dylan Efron, Robert Irwin, and many others mentioned earlier to strut their stuff as the show returns to the screens September 16.

Will “Dancing With The Stars” conquer these challenges and give the world a terrific show come Tuesday?