Celebrity Extra: Mauricio Umansky
By Dana Jackson
Q: Is “Dancing with the Stars” coming back to ABC, or will it just be on Disney+? When will they announce the new cast? I'm eager for the season to start. -P.L.
A: After one season of exclusively airing on Disney+, "Dancing with the Stars" is returning home to ABC. This is likely in part due to new episodes of scripted shows being postponed until 2024 due to the writers' and actors' strikes. It will still be available to stream on Disney+ and Hulu, but a return to network television is a welcome one.
Julianne Hough, a former pro dancer on the show, is also returning, but in the form of co-host, alongside former "DWTS" champion Alfonso Ribeiro. She replaces Tyra Banks, who has left the show after three years. Sadly, longtime judge Len Goodman passed away earlier this year after battling cancer. This year's judging panel consists of familiar faces: Derek Hough, Carrie Ann Inaba and Bruno Tonioli.
This fall's contestants feature some big names from reality TV -Charity Lawson of "The Bachelorette," Ariana Madix of "Vanderpump Rules," Mauricio Umansky of "The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills," Harry Jowsey of "Too Hot to Handle"-as well as singers Jason Mraz and Lele Pons. A wide range of thespians make up the rest of the roster: Matt Walsh ("Veep"); Mira Sorvino ("Sound of Freedom"); Barry Williams ("The Brady Bunch"); Tyson Beckford ("Zoolander"); Xochtil Gomez ("The Baby-Sitters Club"); Jamie Lynn Spears ("Zoey 102"); and Alyson Hannigan ("How I Met Your Mother"). This season's professional athlete is NFL running back Adrian Peterson.
Season 32 of "DWTS" premieres on Tuesday, Sept. 26, on ABC.
Mauricio Umansky stars in season 32 of "Dancing with the Stars." Photo Credit: Depositphotos
Q: I'm confused. Is Drew Barrymore's talk show coming back or not? What about Kelly Clarkson's talk show? -N.C.
A: Both of these beloved talk show hosts and their popular syndicated daytime shows are on hiatus until the writers' strike ends. Initially, "The Drew Barrymore Show" was slated to return this fall despite the strike, with Barrymore noting that her unemployed crew needed to get back to work. But after protests from picketers and the negative stories that ran in the press, Barrymore recently had a change of heart and agreed to wait until the strike is resolved.
"The Kelly Clarkson Show" hasn't resumed filming in front of a live audience either. But when it does, it'll be relocating from Los Angeles to New York -once the strike ends.
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Q: Whatever happened to actress Meg Tilly? I remember seeing her in the film "Agnes of God" years ago, but I don't recall anything recent. -L.L.
A: Meg Tilly is probably best known for her Oscar-nominated role in the film "Agnes of God" almost four decades ago, but she has transitioned from acting into a solid writing career. She has written several novels, mostly of dark subject matter, and recently co-wrote (with Kelly Fremon Craig) her first screenplay, "Ordinary Angels." The film, based on a heartwarming true story, stars two-time Oscar winner Hilary Swank and will open in theaters next February.
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