‘Dancing With The Stars’ Season 35 kicks off with impressive ratings, gathering 6.67 million viewers. The premiere showcases only male contestants, with ladies' routines still to come.
Season 35 of Dancing With The Stars debuted successfully, as confirmed by a report from Deadline. The premiere aired on September 16, 2026, on ABC and Disney+, attracting 6.67 million live and same-day viewers according to preliminary Nielsen data. This marks a significant 24% increase from the Season 34 premiere, making it the show's highest-rated season opener in six years.
The episode featured only male celebrities and their professional partners, but the viewership numbers are promising. Within the coveted 18-49 demographic, the premiere boasted a 40% rise, achieving a 1.48 rating. This performance is noted as the best in nearly a decade for the series, indicating a potential resurgence in popularity that could attract more sponsors and advertisers. Furthermore, the premiere ranked as the top entertainment telecast among adults 18-49, outperforming all other programming, including ABC's previous high-profile events like The Oscars.
Previous viewership data shows that the show ended last season with strong ratings, achieving its best finale audience in almost ten years. With the initial boost seen in Season 35, there’s optimism within the network about engaging both current fans and attracting new viewers. Disney announced that the premiere garnered a 2.53 rating among women aged 18-34, marking a 13-year high for the series within that demographic. The positive audience reception suggests Dancing With The Stars is effectively connecting with its target audience, particularly among young women heavily influenced by celebrity culture.
The excitement continues this Wednesday night with the much-anticipated second premiere episode, featuring the ladies’ routines alongside their professional dancers. Disney has yet to release concrete figures regarding the women’s voting results, as the competition has not yet occurred. However, Alfonso Ribeiro, the show’s host, noted record-breaking text votes from the first episode, indicating heightened viewer engagement right from the kickoff.
As a notable change, this season’s cast is reported as one of the largest in the show's history, and the structure has been split into two premiere nights with eliminations scheduled for each. Given that several popular contestants, including Maura Higgins and Julia Stiles, are slated to perform on the second night, there is great anticipation that audience numbers could rise even further.
The initial success of Dancing With The Stars Season 35 sets a promising trajectory, not only for its ongoing ratings but also for viewer engagement. With historical data supportive of an upward trend, the upcoming episodes featuring female contestants may enhance the show's appeal, possibly leading to even higher ratings. As the season progresses, it will be essential to monitor audience reactions and ratings metrics to determine the full impact on Dancing With The Stars' future. Viewers can stay tuned for more updates as additional data is expected later this week.
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