“Dancing With the Stars” continues to captivate audiences, marking its place as a long-standing entertainment favorite. The 34th season premiere, which aired on September 16, demonstrated impressive viewership and ratings, securing 5.5 million total viewers and a 1.1 rating among adults aged 18-49. These numbers reflect a notable increase of 6% in total viewers and a striking 49% jump in ratings compared to last year’s premiere, making it the most-watched debut since Season 29 in 2020—a significant time when hosts Tom Bergeron and Erin Andrews left the show.
Produced by BBC Studios, the series triumphed in the 8 p.m. timeslot, outperforming NBC’s “America’s Got Talent” by 23% in total viewers and an astonishing 182% in the key adult demographic. According to ABC, “Dancing with the Stars” did not just win its time period but also surpassed the combined averages of all competing broadcasts.
The fan engagement is more palpable than ever, with Season 34 breaking its own voting records. The premiere episode saw 21 million votes cast for the new cast, a 163% increase from the previous season’s opening. Social media interactions also surged, rising 58% from last year to a total of 2.7 million.
Following “Dancing With the Stars,” ABC’s “High Potential” Season 2 premiered to 4.19 million viewers, marking an 18% increase from its series debut. On streaming platforms like Hulu and Disney+, the episode saw 51% more views than its pilot after just one day, showing the growing popularity of the series.
The success of these premieres arrives amid a backdrop of controversy for Disney and ABC, as they recently suspended late-night host Jimmy Kimmel. It remains to be seen if this will impact “Dancing With the Stars” or if any statements will be made by contestants during the next live episode.
The new season promises excitement with a buzzworthy cast that includes Whitney Leavitt and Jen Affleck from “The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives,” social media influencer Alix Earle, and reality figure Dylan Efron. With its strong start, “Dancing With the Stars” reaffirms its status as a beloved fixture in the television landscape.