Copyright Parade
Key Points 'Dancing With the Stars' achieved five weeks of audience growth, a first in 34 years of Nielsen ratings. Derek Hough thanked fans: 'Thank you so much for watching. This show has been so special.' The 'Wicked'-themed episode peaked at 6.63 million viewers, highest since the 2020–21 season. Dancing With the Stars is on a historic hot streak — and head judge Derek Hough couldn’t be more grateful. In a video posted to Instagram, Hough thanked viewers after learning that the long-running ABC competition show has just achieved a milestone rarely seen in modern network television. “Hey guys, I think I’m a little bit late to the game, but I just heard and found out about these insane ratings for Dancing With the Stars and how they’ve been breaking records, the past 34 years, the Nielsen ratings, so thank you so much for watching the show!” Hough said. “We love the show so much. Thank you so much for watching. This show has been so special for us for 20 years. 20 years! The fact that more and more people are watching, they’re falling in love with it, they’re enjoying it, it really means the world to us, so thank you so much. Again, so much love and let’s continue making history! Let’s do it.” RELATED: Late-Night Emergency Sends ‘DWTS’ Contestant to the Hospital After Rehearsal Injury A Historic Ratings Run According to The Hollywood Reporter, Dancing With the Stars is now “the first fall show in at least 34 years — dating back to the start of Nielsen’s regular measurement of total viewers in 1991 — to grow its audience for five weeks in a row after a season premiere.” The milestone came during the show’s Wicked-themed episode, which drew a season-high 6.63 million viewers and marked the biggest same-day audience for Dancing With the Stars since the start of the 2020–21 season. The episode also hit a 1.38 rating among adults 18–49, its best showing in several years. Per Parade’s analysis, the show is averaging 5.86 million viewers per week and a 1.2 rating/17 share among adults 18–49 — meaning roughly 17 percent of TVs in use on Tuesday nights from 8–10 p.m. ET/PT are tuned to Dancing With the Stars. That share figure is roughly double (and in some weeks nearly triple) the show’s average over the past six seasons. You’d have to go back to season 27 in the fall of 2018 to find comparable rating/share numbers. RELATED: Derek & Hayley Hough Tear Up in Candid Video Thanking Fans After ‘Devastating’ Loss A 20-Year Legacy That Keeps Growing Now in its 34th season, Dancing With the Stars continues to defy gravity — both in choreography and viewership. After moving back to ABC in season 32 after its one-season streaming stint on Disney+, the show has seemingly rediscovered its groove, pairing nostalgic appeal with fresh energy from the current cast and judges. As Hough reflected, Dancing With the Stars remains “so special for us for 20 years,” and this latest record only cements its enduring place in the pop culture spotlight. “Let’s continue making history,” he told fans. “Let’s do it.” Dancing With the Stars airs Tuesday nights from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. ET/PT on ABC and streams the next day on Hulu.
