Dancing with the Stars has certainly proven itself over the years, from its fanbase to the number of years the show has been running. However, early on, there were some worries that the show wouldn’t take off. Recently, two of the series’ stories opened up about the struggles the show faced during its early years.
Dancing With The Stars‘ Season 35 Is Coming Right Around The Corner
Dancing with the Stars, the American version of Strictly Come Dancing, came out in 2005. The series has already proven to be a long-runner, with it set to debut Season 35 this upcoming fall.
On the show, fans have seen Julianne Hough serve as a presenter with Bruno Tonioli serving as a judge. Hough joined the show as a dancer during the fourth season, while Tonioli has been part of the show since the start. Recently, the two could be seen attending the Disney 2026 Upfront in New York City.
Even after the show has been running for over two decades, the two recently opened up about some of the early struggles they had at the start, including the doubts that came with it. In particular, they both were unsure that the show would even take off.
While speaking with People, Hough noted, “I mean, this show got turned down so many times at the beginning, because people were like, a ballroom dancing show? Like, what? Is that really a thing?”
Tonioli also noted early skepticism that plagued the show. He shared, “It was May 2005, and at the time… Andrea Wong was running ABC, and Bob Iger was working there as well, and I know the story. It is a long story. They told me the story. And everybody was saying, ‘This is never gonna work. They’re crazy.’” Reportedly, it was Wong who eventually gave the show the green light.
Bruno Tonioli Shared The One Thing He Believes Helped The Show Stay Strong After All These Years
Even so, the early years weren’t always easy. As Tonioli noted, the show also had to deal with competition with American Idol at the start. However, the show has since proven itself, both shining the spotlight on professional dancers and allowing celebs to show another side to themselves.
Tonioli felt, however, that it was the show’s authenticity that helped it to remain strong after all these years. He shared, “The reason it lasted, and it still is, is because it is a show that has a beating heart — it’s not fake. We really do it because we love it.”
As Tonioli continued, “And…we always push the bar. We always make it better. And the audience really responds to that. We are really there 100%…We are there with our hearts beating. I think people get that. They get the truth.”
What is your reaction to Julianne Hough and Bruno Tonioli’s recent share? Have you been following this story? Are you keeping up with Dancing with the Stars? Make sure you come back to TV Shows Ace for all the latest reality TV and celebrity news.
John Witiw has been a writer since at least 2015. He’s covered a variety of topics, especially when it comes to film and television.