Longtime Dancing With the Stars judge Carrie Ann Inaba will miss the Season 34 premiere due to illness, she announced on Tuesday. In a social media post, Inaba said she is 'feeling quite under the weather' and will be resting, with plans to return next week.
Sources confirm that no replacement judge will be brought in for the first episode, meaning contestants will receive feedback only from judges Bruno Tonioli and Derek Hough. The show marks its 20th anniversary this season.
The premiere airs on September 16 and features a cast including Jen Affleck and Whitney Leavitt from The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives, Fifth Harmony's Lauren Jauregui, Pentatonix's Scott Hoying, Dylan Efron, and Olympic gold medalist Jordan Chiles.
Alfonso Ribeiro and Julianne Hough return as hosts. The episode will be simulcast live on ABC and Disney+, with streaming available on Hulu the next day.
