What a whirlwind of a day it has been for Dancing With the Stars! Just when we thought the new season was about to kick off smoothly, news broke that the production might be delayed. ABC executives were considering pushing back the September 26 premiere due to striking writers picketing the show. This setback was followed by Veep actor Matt Walsh deciding to “pause” his involvement with the show until an agreement is made with the Writers Guild of America (WGA).
Walsh took to Instagram to explain his decision, stating that he joined the show under the impression that it was not a WGA show and fell under a different agreement. However, once he was informed that it is considered struck work by his union, he walked out of his rehearsal. This turn of events certainly added to the chaos surrounding the show’s potential delay.
Shortly after Walsh’s announcement, SAG-AFTRA issued a statement clarifying that its members appearing on Dancing With the Stars are not violating its strike rules. Actors like Mira Sorvino, Alyson Hannigan, Xochitl Gomez, and Jamie Lynn Spears are working under the Network Code agreement, which is a non-struck contract. In other words, they are required to fulfill their contractual obligations and are free to continue working on the show.
Amidst all the confusion and uncertainty, DWTS pro Gleb Savchenko weighed in on the situation. Savchenko, who had to don a tuxedo for an event before offering a dancing lesson at the Elizabeth Taylor Ball to End AIDS, expressed his disbelief at the back-and-forth surrounding the show’s start. As a member of SAG, he supports the show because it falls under the category of an unscripted reality competition.
Savchenko admitted that he was surprised that one tweet could cause such a stir. TV writer and producer David Slack had tweeted that DWTS is a WGA-covered show and that its writers are on strike, making it impossible to produce new episodes without scab writing. Despite the controversy, Savchenko hopes that ABC can find a resolution before the premiere. He emphasized that it would be unfair to many people, including his partner Mira Sorvino, who is an actor and represents that world.
Savchenko acknowledged Sorvino’s difficult situation, as she is supportive of the strike but also legally allowed to continue on the show. He expressed his hope that a solution would be reached, allowing them to proceed as planned. With the premiere just four days away, there is a sense of urgency to resolve the issues quickly.
Dancing With the Stars is scheduled to premiere on September 26 on ABC and will also be simulcast on Disney+. This season marks a return to ABC after exclusively airing on Disney+ last season. Despite the obstacles, fans of the show can only hope that everything will be sorted out in time for the highly anticipated premiere.
