Dancing with the Stars is logging a couple of firsts in its 31st season. Chief among them: a new digital home, a significant star from a broadcast competing network and its first-ever drag queen competitor.
Actor and Performer DJ “Shangela” Pierce, who was the first contestant to compete on three separate seasons of RuPaul’s Drag Racewill dance with Gleb Savchenko when the former ABC competition show makes its debut on Disney+ Shangela’s participation marks the first time a drag queen has ever competed for the mirror ball trophy.
Joining Shangela in the ballroom is Wayne Brady, the host of CBS’ Let’s Make a Deal, along with a platinum recording artist, a Real Housewife, a Bachelorette and an OG angel of Charlie’s, among several other famous (or should we say infamous?) celebrities. The entire cast was announced this morning on Good MorningAmerica in anticipation of the show’s Sept. 19 premiere on Disney+.
And the season 31 teams are:
- Fitness model and actor Joseph Baena, son of Arnold Schwarzenegger, with partner Daniella Karagach
- Selma Blair dating Sasha Farber
- Let’s Make a Deal host Wayne Brady with partner Witney Carson
- Good Morning Americaa contributor and WABC-TV New York’s weather anchor Sam Champion, with partner Cheryl Burke
- TikTok star Charli D’Amelio with dating Mark Ballas
- Heidi D’Amelio (The D’Amelio Show) with partner Artem Chigvintsev
- Country star Jessie James Decker dating Alan Bersten
- Actor Trevor Donovan (90210) with partner Emma Slater
- Actor Daniel Durant (CODA) with partner Britt Stewart
- Teresa Giudice (The Real Housewives of New Jersey) with partner Pasha Pashkov
- Vinny Guadagnino (Jersey Shore) dating with Koko Iwasaki
- Cheryl Ladd (Charlie’s Angels) with partner Louis van Amstel
- Actor Jason Lewis (Sex and the City) partner with Peta Murgatroyd
- Drag queen superstar Shangela with partner Gleb Savchenko
- Platinum recording artist Jordin Sparks with partner Brandon Armstrong
- Gabby Windey (The Bachelorette) with partner Val Chmerkovskiy
The pairs will be judged by Len Goodman, Carrie Ann Inaba, Bruno Tonioli and Derek Hough. Season 19 winner Alfonso Ribeiro will join Tyra Banks as a co-host.
dancing with the Stars, which is produced by BBC Studios Los Angeles Productions, received a two-year pickup and will become the first live series to debut on Disney+.