'Dancing With The Stars' News: New Showrunner Takes Over For Season 26
Expect to see major changes when the all-athlete cycle of "Dancing With the Stars" returns to ABC next month.
The Hollywood Reporter shared that Andrew Llinares, a veteran reality show producer, will step in to become the new showrunner of the long-running celebrity dance competition in its upcoming season.
"Dancing With the Stars is one of the largest scale shows on television, and I love that it provides a place for me, as a producer, to have big, ambitious ideas that I can then bring to life," Llinares told the publication. "It can be quite the undertaking to come in to a show that has been on the air for 25 seasons, but I'm excited about taking on the challenge and finding new ways to take the show forward."
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Llinares launched the British edition of "The X Factor" before moving to Los Angeles to work as one of the executive producers of the reality competition's US version. He also worked on "Britain's Got Talent" as an executive producer and directed and executive produced "Pop Idol," the UK version of the "American Idol."
When asked about his plans for the next installment of "Dancing With the Stars," Llinares said that he plans to work on keeping the main points of the show that the fans loved through the years while finding ways to present fresh contents. "I want us to find ways to make the stories on the show even more compelling and the emotional connection which the viewer has to the performances, even stronger," the executive producer stated. "I also want us to come up with ideas that surprise and excite the viewers every week so that they keep coming back for more."
Meanwhile, new reports revealed that "Dancing With the Stars" was included in the list of shows that were given an early renewal from the network. This means that it will be extended for a season 27 after the still unreleased season 26 that will be composed of athletes.
The list of contestants for the 26th season of "Dancing With the Stars" are expected to be announced before the reality competition airs on ABC on Monday, April 30.
