A new judge won’t be filling in for Carrie Ann Inaba amid her absence from the Dancing With the Stars season 34 premiere.
According to multiple outlets, only Derek Hough and Bruno Tonioli will be handing out scores during the first episode of the season on Tuesday, September 16. Performances will be judged on a scale of 20 as opposed to the typical 30.
Hours before the premiere, Inaba, 57, announced via Instagram that she would not be in the DWTS ballroom to see the new cast perform for the first time.
“I wanted to share that I will not be at the show tonight as I am feeling quite under the weather. I’m resting up and can’t wait to be back next week in good health,” she wrote in a statement. “In the meantime, I wish all the contestants the very best of luck. I’ll be cheering you on from home. 🤍🙏 Have a great show everyone! 🪩💃🏻🕺🏻⭐️.”
Well-wishes poured in from current and former pros. “Get better soon sis ❤️‍🩹,” Julianne Hough wrote in the comments section, with Britt Stewart adding, “Hope you feel better Carrie Ann! ❤️❤️.”
Some fans also offered their suggestions for who would make a good temporary judge, naming former pros Lindsay Arnold and Sasha Farber, among others. (Farber, 41, is not competing as a pro on season 34 but will be taking fans behind the scenes via TikTok on premiere night.)
Inaba already made headlines this month when she was noticeably absent from the cast announcement, which aired live on Good Morning America on September 3. Tonioli, 69, and Derek, 40, were on hand for the reveal, as were cohosts Julianne, 37, and Alfonso Ribeiro.
While she wasn’t part of the announcement broadcast, Inaba celebrated the incoming cast, which includes Jen Affleck, Hilaria Baldwin, Jordan Chiles, Baron Davis, Dylan Efron, Corey Feldman and more stars.
“Here we goooooo!!!!” Inaba wrote via her Instagram Story, sharing several photos of the celebs and pros.
Inaba has been a judge on DWTS since the ballroom competition premiered in 2005. She’s known for her bold commentary — and has even ruffled a few feathers among viewers and contestants alike.
“There have been times where I’ve almost walked away,” Inaba confessed at the Variety Women of Reality TV event in November 2023. “As the only female judge for most of the seasons, I get a lot more hate than the men do.”
In social media footage from the event, Inaba got emotional while reflecting on her DWTS tenure. “I’m the judge who cries, yes that’s true,” she said. “People doubt what I say. … I feel like I have to fight harder for my opinion to be honored.”
Inaba — the longest-serving female judge on the show — elaborated on her experience in an interview with Variety that same month. “The biggest misconception about me is that what I do is easy. I don’t know many people in this business who have kept a job for 32 seasons,” she said. “What I do is complex and it takes courage. I show up and speak my truth in front of millions of people, and then I am accountable for it.”
Dancing With the Stars airs on ABC and Disney+ Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET.