Despite high-profile contestants, 'DWTS' fans are left let down after a dream pairing is dismissed
ABC's 'Dancing with the Stars' is all set to roll out Season 34, and the excitement is at an all-time high. With Alix Earle Robert Irwin, Jen Affleck, and Whitney Leavitt are confirmed as the contestants for the upcoming season; the stakes are higher than ever. However, fans were also hoping for a new type of pairing on the show. While the buzz around this pairing was getting much-needed traction, it looks like this will not happen, at least not in this season.
Notably, in 'DWTS' Season 30, the show had its first same-sex couple with Jenna Johnson and JoJo Siwa. In Season 31, Gleb Savchenko competed with RuPaul’s Drag Race alum Shangela, making another show first, as per Parade. Some fans had hoped 'DWTS' would take another step in Season 34 by pairing a male pro with a male celebrity. But according to reporter Kristyn Burtt, that doesn't seem likely.
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In the comment section of Burtt's August 18 TikTok post, a fan asked if there was any chance an all-male pair would be a part of Season 34. Burtt responded, "Unfortunately, I don't think so." She explained, "If you go back to my May 29 video, one of the executive producers talked about the topic. It sounds like they are open to it, but that it is not happening anytime soon." In an additional comment, Burtt shared, "I think Derek & Mark tried to move the needle with producers to make it happen."
'Dancing with the Stars' fans who have been rallying to see a male and male pairing happen shared their disappointment under a Reddit thread. A fan wrote, "It's sad that we are regressing as a society. I know the pendulum will swing back though," while another added, "It's sad that in 2025 a male-male partnership is too politically controversial. We should be WAY past this by now." Another noted, "That's disappointing but not really unexpected, unfortunately. Things seem to be moving backwards, and I don't expect ABC to challenge that—look at what they've done to American Idol." A fan remarked, "I was really looking forward to the next same-sex partnership; it's a shame that we live in a world where it's frowned upon."
Reportedly, this year marks a milestone for the franchise as 'Dancing With the Stars' celebrates its 20th anniversary since its original premiere in 2005, as per Newsweek. The show remains one of ABC's most popular series and will mark the occasion by airing live on multiple networks simultaneously. Season 34 officially premieres on Tuesday, September 16, 2025, on ABC and Disney+ (via FuboTV), with new episodes streaming the following day on Hulu, making it more accessible than ever to fans across platforms.
The hosting lineup remains the same, with Alfonso Ribeiro returning. Ribeiro first joined as co-host in Season 31 alongside Tyra Banks after winning Season 19 himself. Julianne Hough, who first stepped into the hosting role in Season 32, will once again join Ribeiro on stage. On the judges' panel, there will be no shake-ups for this anniversary season, as Derek Hough, Carrie Ann Inaba, and Bruno Tonioli are all set to return with their expertise.