Dancing With the Stars is already gathering a fresh roster of celebrity contestants ready to take to the dance floor this autumn. Scheduled to premiere in mid-September, season 35 of the popular ABC dance competition series will see the return of judges Carrie Ann Inaba, Derek Hough, and Bruno Tonioli, alongside co-hosts Alfonso Ribeiro and Julianne Hough.
Early Confirmed Contestants
The long-running show, widely regarded as the American counterpart to Britain's Strictly Come Dancing, pairs celebrities with professional dancers who train them to compete in ballroom dancing. While the complete lineup will not be announced until September 2 on Good Morning America, several names have already been confirmed.
Ciara Miller
The 30-year-old Summer House star was among the first two celebrity cast members announced. Miller joined the season 35 cast last month amid a notable friendship fallout with Summer House co-star Amanda Batula over her relationship with Miller's ex-boyfriend, West Wilson. Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, executive producer and casting head Deena Katz said: 'I already knew Ciara. She was on Traitors, and she's wonderful. She's stunning, she's gorgeous; she's all these things. And then the stuff that happened to her, it was a really of the moment thing that we all felt like it was the right time. We really wanted her on the show, but it was also the right time to announce her.'
Maura Higgins
Alongside Miller, Irish reality star Higgins, 35, was also revealed last month to be competing on season 35. She is best known to US audiences from her recent appearance on The Traitors season four, where she reached the finale, but she has long been familiar to UK viewers from appearances on I'm a Celeb and Love Island. Higgins has been eager to join DWTS since Katz cast her in The Traitors. Katz added: 'Maura texts me every time she's coming to LA. She wants to have lunch. She's been dying to do the show, and she's fantastic. She's great television. Maura is exactly what our show is, and she's having a moment right now, so that was a no-brainer. And knowing what was going to happen with Traitors and seeing the buzz about her, she was fantastic.'
Jackson Olson
Savannah Bananas baseball star Olson, 28, will swap his cleats for dance shoes. The second baseman for the Georgia-based barnstorming exhibition team, who has amassed over 3 million followers across TikTok and Instagram, was announced Tuesday at the Disney Upfronts presentation. Olson's inclusion appears to be part of the network's strategy to broaden its reach to include social media stars. 'I was a shy kid that never danced, never put myself out there, and never entertained,' he admitted Wednesday on Good Morning America. 'And now I kind of manifested this whole thing.'
This article will be updated as more celebrities are confirmed for season 35 of Dancing With the Stars.
