The upcoming 32nd season of Dancing With the Starswill look a little different without some notable pros. The series recently announced that two pros exited, as Lindsay Arnold Cusick and Witney Carson left to focus more on their families. Moreover, it’s definitely not the first time a pro has departed either not long after giving birth or after realizing they want to be with their family, which is completely valid. However, Peta Murgatroyd is returning to the ballroom after giving birth over the summer, and she explained her take on doing both.
In June, the DWTS pro welcomed her baby boy with her husband and fellow pro Maksim Chmerkovskiy. Murgatroyd has been open in the past about suffering a miscarriage while Chmerkovskiy was in Ukraine, so it was likely a very emotional time for the couple when they finally welcomed their rainbow baby. Even so, it’s been just 10 weeks since the newest little Chmerkovskiy was brought into the world, but the little one’s mom is as ready as ever to compete for the Mirrorball Trophy, as she told E! News:
I miss dance. I miss the show. It’s only one time a year. And if I can make it work with getting people in to help me out with looking after the kids for a few hours a day, then I’m gonna do it. Because I love working and meeting new people.
Peta Murgatroyd joined Dancing With the Stars in 2011, so it would definitely be hard to leave something after 12 years. It seems like she has a plan in place to balance the show and her family, even asking for help when she needs it. Since Murgatroyd gave birth over the summer when the series wasn’t going on, it did give her some time to spend with her newborn without having to worry about work. If she had given birth while the show was on the air or right before the season started, things might have turned out differently.
With all of the changes coming to DWTS, it’s nice to know that Peta Murgatroyd won’t be leaving anytime soon, at least not yet. One of the biggest changes for next season is the fact that the dancing competition will be returning to ABC after two seasons on Disney+. Along with that, Julianne Hough will be returning to the ballroom as co-host alongside Alfonso Ribeiro, replacing Tyra Banks. DWTS will also be switching nights for the first time since Season 4. Instead of its regular Monday slot, the series will be airing on Tuesdays.
The full celebrity cast for Season 32 was recently announced. Murgatroyd is partnered with The Brady Bunch alum Barry Williams. Other stars include Mira Sorvino, Jason Mraz, Alyson Hannigan, Jamie Lynn Spears, Xochitl Gomez, and the previously announced Charity Lawson and Ariana Maddix, among others. There will still be much to look forward to, so fans should tune in to see how it goes down.
It might be challenging for Peta Murgatroyd to balance having a newborn and working, but with help, I’m sure she’s going to do it flawlessly. To see this pro and the rest of the DWTS cast perform, tune in on Tuesday, September 26 at 8 p.m. ET to ABC to see the extended premiere on the 2023 TV schedule.