Peta Murgatroyd says the former Dancing With the Stars pro should return

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Peta Murgatroyd

Dancing With the Stars professional dancer Peta Murgatroyd encourages her husband, professional dancer Maks Chmerkovskiy, to return to ballroom dancing competition, but not as a dancer.

In a March 9, 2023 interview with The US sun, Murgatroyd revealed she would love for her husband to return to the ballroom as a judge rather than a dancer. She believes he would be “right” for the role.

“Maks is a character in her own right,” she told the outlet. “He is very lovable. He says what he thinks. I think it’s the perfect role for him. I think it would be a great place for him, you know, to be across from Derek [Hough] as well as.”

She added, “They’re very different, and I think they’re great friends, and it would also be amazing to see the different dynamics of what they would see everyone dancing and what they would kind of get into.”

Len Goodman, who served as a judge on most seasons of “Dancing With the Stars,” retired from the show at the end of season 31.

“Dancing With the Stars” cannot fill the free space

While it was originally thought that Len Goodman would be replaced for the upcoming season, one of the highly regarded contenders for the role revealed that is not the case. Ballroom dancing star and mother of professional dancer Mark Ballas, Shirley Ballas has said there will only be three judges on the show this time.

In a segment on British talk show “Loose Women” Ballas shared that she had been in talks to join “Dancing With the Stars,” but wouldn’t because executives decided there would only be three judges.

“I spoke to you [executive producer and showrunner] Conrad Green. I think for now they’re going to keep it to three judges,” Ballas said. She said the Daily Mail in July 2022 that she would join the show if given the chance.

It is likely that the judges will be Bruno Tonioli, Carrie Ann Inaba and Derek Hough.

Murgatroyd may return as a professional dancer for Season 32

Murgatroyd and Chmerkovskiy are expecting their second child in June 2023, but the pregnant mother revealed that she believes she will return for season 32 if invited back.

“I came back seven weeks after having my first child, so I think I can definitely do that again,” Murgatroyd told The US Sun. “This time it will be around the eight or nine week mark.”

She will be needed when other pregnant professional dancers decide not to return for the upcoming season. Witney Carson, Daniella Karagach and Lindsay Arnold are all pregnant and due in May, meaning they have just months after giving birth to recover if they decide to head back to the ballroom. In January 2023, Jenna Johnson gave birth to her first child.

However, the cast will not be announced until the end of the summer, as there are usually last-minute changes. The show is likely to premiere in September, so the cast will likely be finalized and announced by the end of August 2023.

Dancing With the Stars is slated to return to Disney+ in fall 2023.