'Dancing With the Stars' debuts big changes and draws mixed reactions from viewers

George Back
·Producer, Yahoo Entertainment
Updated ·2 min read

The 29th season of Dancing With the Stars kicked off Monday night, debuting some big changes. This summer it was announced that longtime hosts Tom Bergeron and Erin Andrews would not be returning to the show, and that Tyra Banks would be keeping the dancers and judges in line as the new host.

While Banks did an admirable job during her debut, much of the response on social media was negative. One of the common complaints was that she appeared to be making the premiere more about herself than the show.

Another change that drew the ire of fans was the artificial audience noises. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, a live audience was not allowed to view the performances. To keep the energy up, production piped in a lot of recorded applause. Unfortunately it was a little overbearing for many viewers.

But not all the changes upset fans, especially the addition of Derek Hough as a judge. Hugh is filling in for former head judge Len Goodman. Goodman will be joining the telecast occasionally via video from his home in London.

There are some other changes to the show that have yet to be put on display, including a change in popular group performances. And despite the cool reception from many on social media, the new season looks as entertaining as ever — even with changes.

A new episode of Dancing With the Stars airs next Tuesday at 8 p.m. on ABC.

Watch as Tyra Banks discusses the new season of ‘DWTS’ and the challenging times surrounding it:

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