'Dancing With the Stars' 2015 Cast: Derek Hough & Len Goodman Could Still Return, Producers 'Upping The Ante' [VIDEO]
Dancing With the Stars executive producers Rob Wade and Joe Sungkur recently discussed what was ahead for season 20, as well as their thoughts on Derek Hough's departure.
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Season 20 will be as important to the show as it is transitional. While it is the 10th anniversary of DWTS, it will also be significant in that Hough will not be competing, nor will Cheryl Burke, who is officially leaving the show. Wade and Sungkur told Glamour recently that they will be trying some new things in season 20.
"One of the things that will be important is that we are upping the ante and expanding the show openers, giving the viewers more access to the backstage area and the couples than ever before," Wade explained. "We are going to bring back some fan favorites, we are going to bring back Disney week, classical week. At the same time, we have new ideas that hopefully will provide more drama, more humor than ever before. We're excited about it, and the tempo of the show from last season was very important. It felt like you weren't sure what was going to happen from week to week, and that will be the same. It won't feel like the same show twice."
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As for Hough, who has essentially become Dancing With the Stars' signature pro over the years, he won't be gone forever. He is simply going off to star in the New York Spring Spectacular but he will be back for season 21, according to the executive producers.
"I think it's great he got offered that, and in a situation like that where Derek is a friend and a member of the family, you have to let him go," Wade noted. "I think it was a very difficult decision for him and very sad for him to go, but I can't not say as a producer that this show is about innovation, and we've been on for 10 years, and if we want to be on for another 10 years, we need new, fresh faces. Witney [Carson], Val [Chmerkovskiy], Emma [Slater]..."
He noted that there will still be a lot of "familiar faces" on the show in season 20, so fans need not worry.
Additionally, Len Goodman is expected to have his last season coming up but Wade said that he would be a part of the show "for years to come," so it's possible that he will return to the judging panel in the future.
Dancing With the Stars returns for season 20 on Monday, March 16 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on ABC.
