Dancing with the Stars executive producer Deena Katz has responded to former host Tom Bergeron's suggestion to bring back the show's standalone results show.
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When asked about Bergeron's request, Katz acknowledged the appeal of the results show, which used to air on Tuesday nights following Monday night's two-hour performance show, but indicated Dancing with the Stars is thriving with its current structure.
"You know... I think we're going great right now. But I used to love the results show," Katz told TV Insider.
"They were so much fun. It was like doing a big variety show. We had music, dance... it was everything. It was great. It'd be fun to do those again, but I feel we're doing great right now. I'm thrilled with what we're doing."
A Record-Breaking Dancing with the Stars Season
Season 34 has been a massive success for the franchise, with the September premiere marking Dancing with the Stars' biggest debut in five years.The season saw a 49% ratings bump from Season 33, and premiere voting increased by 163% over last season's premiere, according to Variety.
Katz credited the show's success to its ability to connect with younger audiences through social media, particularly with social media personality Alix Earle competing this season.
"My 24-year-old daughter told me to me, 'Mom, [Alix Earle] is the most famous person you've ever put on the show,' which I think is funny, in a way, but in that world, she really is," Katz told TV Insider.
Merging Broadcast and Social Media
Katz explained how Dancing with the Stars has successfully bridged the gap between traditional broadcast television and social media consumption."I've tried for so long [to make that connection]. We've had people on who have had huge followings, but it never seemed to cross over into viewers [the way it has now]," Katz said.
"Three seasons ago, we had Charli D'Amelio [who won], and then, we had Harry Jowsey. Things started to shift a little bit. All my daughter's friends are in that world where TikTok has become such a huge thing."
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"They got invested [in the show] on TikTok, and now, they almost felt like that have to watch the show to keep up with TikTok. Once that happened, they were like, 'Oh. Wait. We love the show.'"
She continued, "So, it was this backwards way of not watching the show [on broadcast first], seeing it on TikTok, and it turned itself around."
Celebrating Dancing with the Stars' History
Katz also discussed bringing back past favorites and original pros for the show's 20th anniversary season, including past Mirrorball champions Cheryl Burke and Kym Johnson, as well as the six professional dancer partners who competed on Dancing with the Stars' inaugural season in 2005."I love bringing them back. They know so much about the show. They know the history," Katz told TV Insider.
"They have such great things to say about the show, and I feel that's part of the reason why the show works so well. We're a family."
She noted that the multi-generational appeal of Dancing with the Stars has contributed to its success, with audiences ranging from children to grandparents.
RELATED LINK: 'DANCING WITH THE STARS' PROS AND THEIR SIGNIFICANT OTHERS: WHO'S DATING OR MARRIED TO WHOM!? (PHOTOS)
"Our audience has kids, parents, and grandparents who can all watch the show together. I feel like a lot of our audience now is comprised of parents who used to be kids when they first watched the show," Katz said.
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Dancing with the Stars' Season 34 finale will air Tuesday, November 25, at 8PM ET on ABC.
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