Carrie Ann Inaba ready to judge 25th round of ‘Dancing With the Stars’
Reaching the number 25 with anything is significant, as Carrie Ann Inaba well knows.
Having been with the ABC show from its start in 2005, the dancer-choreographer marks her 25th turn as a “Dancing With the Stars” judge when the ballroom reopens for returning dance pros and their new celebrity partners Monday, Sept. 18. Again seated with fellow founding judges Len Goodman and Bruno Tonioli, plus dancer-turned-judge Julianne Hough, Inaba will gauge the contenders as they’re presented by hosts Tom Bergeron and Erin Andrews.
Among the new celebrity contestants: “Property Brothers” co-star Drew Scott; music’s Debbie Gibson; “Shark Tank’s” Barbara Corcoran, ex-athletes Derek Fisher and Terrell Owens; spouses and television personalities Nick and Vanessa Lachey; wrestler and reality star Nikki Bella; TVseries veterans Frankie Muniz (“Malcolm in the Middle”) and Sasha Pieterse (“Pretty Little Liars”); former Paralympian Victoria Arlen; violinist Lindsey Stlrling; and actor-singer Jordan Fisher.
The return of two-time mirrorball-trophy winner Mark Ballas as one of the “Dancing” pros, after two seasons away pleases Inaba. “What’s so great is that there’s always a little bit of old and a little bit of new,” she reflects, “but I feel like the core of our show has never changed. I’m always so proud to be a part of it, because in times like these – when maybe people need some feelgood TV – I’m glad ours is one of those shows that people can watch as a family. They can count on us.”
Inaba recognizes that “Dancing With the Stars” has more competition for dance fans’ loyalty now, not only from Fox’s ongoing “So You Think You Can Dance” but also from NBC’s recently and successfully launched “World of Dance,” which features “Dancing With the Stars” alum Derek Hough as one of its judges.
“I’m so proud of dance as an art, and of the exposure it’s getting from all of these shows,” Inaba says. “I’m thrilled that there’s more work for dancers. That’s my community.”