Alfonso Ribeiro says Dancing with the Stars Season 35 could need extra hours if six couples reach the finale. He tied that possibility to the season’s new elimination setup, which changes the shape of the final night before the premiere even starts.
“That’s a big finale,” Ribeiro said during an interview with ABC’s On The Red Carpet at the Emmy Awards on Monday night. He added, “That might mean there might be a couple of extra hours in that finale because we can’t do six [couples] without some extra time.”
Season 35 premiere setup
The change starts with a two-night premiere: male celebrities compete on Tuesday, Sept. 15, and female celebrities compete on Wednesday, Sept. 16. One male celebrity and one female celebrity will be eliminated after each night, which leaves the season with a tighter opening round but a wider path to the end.
Mark Ballas called the setup unusual on Hulu’s Get Real podcast, saying, “This is a first,” and noting that the cast is split in half, with one person from each group going home. That format also helps explain why six couples could still be standing when the season reaches its last stretch.
Jenna Dewan and Harry Shum Jr
Ribeiro has also pushed back on the idea that dance experience guarantees an easy run. On DWTS’s podcast last week, he said, “It’s starting over, and you have to unlearn everything that you know,” a point that lands differently when cast members such as Jenna Dewan and Harry Shum Jr bring major dance backgrounds into the competition.
Some viewers have already objected to that kind of experience gap, while others may prefer the new structure because it could produce more freestyle dances in the finale. The tradeoff is obvious: a cleaner opening week, but a finale that may need a longer broadcast block to fit six couples.
Alfonso Ribeiro and the finale
For viewers, the practical question is simple: if the season really reaches six couples at the end, the finale will not fit the usual runtime without adjustment. Ribeiro’s comment points to a broadcast built around expansion, not compression, and that is the detail to watch as the premiere week unfolds.
Read more about Alfonso Ribeiro returns as Dancing with the Stars begins Sept. 15 — What Time Is Dancing With The Stars On as the two-night premiere begins.
