Dancing With the Stars fall 2026 cast
ABC’s ballroom juggernaut is coming back this September, and if the last few years are any indication, the celebrity lineup won’t drop until the final week of August. That leaves a solid stretch of speculation season — and a lot of people Googling how tall the reigning champ is, or how much weight last year’s contestants dropped during rehearsals.
Here’s what’s actually locked in so far. The judging panel and hosting team have been remarkably stable, the pro roster carries over heavily from season to season, and the rehearsal grind hasn’t changed: four to six hours a day, six days a week, for anywhere from two to eleven weeks. That workload is why DWTS has produced so many documented body transformations over 30-plus seasons. Kirstie Alley famously shed around 100 pounds across her time on the show. NFL guys routinely drop 20 to 30 pounds of mass. Even fit contestants come out leaner and considerably more mobile.
Below are the confirmed and near-certain faces of the fall 2026 season, with the body stats people keep searching for. We’ll update this page weekly once the celebrity cast is official.
1. Alfonso Ribeiro
The season 19 champion has co-hosted since 2022 and shows no sign of stepping away. He’s listed at 5 ft 6 in (1.68 m) and stays in the 150-pound range — light frame, tons of fast-twitch power, which is how he pulled off that Carlton-meets-ballroom run back in 2014.
Ribeiro turns 55 in September 2026 and still trains regularly. He’s also a competitive race car driver, which demands serious neck and core conditioning.
2. Julianne Hough
Hough came back as co-host in 2023 and has settled into the role. She’s 5 ft 3 in (1.60 m) and around 115 lbs, with a dancer’s build she maintains through Pilates, Tracy Anderson-style method work, and her own KINRGY movement program.
She’s a two-time DWTS champ as a pro and won season 7 and 8 back-to-back. She also spent years managing endometriosis, which she’s spoken about publicly and factors into how she trains.
3. Carrie Ann Inaba
The only judge who’s been there since season 1 in 2005. Inaba stands about 5 ft 3 in (1.60 m) and has been open about living with fibromyalgia, Sjögren’s syndrome, and an autoimmune condition that’s forced her to rethink recovery, sleep, and anti-inflammatory eating.
She’s a former Fly Girl on In Living Color and turns 58 in 2026.
4. Derek Hough
Six-time mirrorball winner, now in his fifth season on the panel. Hough is around 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) and 160 lbs — lean, heavily conditioned, and built through a mix of dance, weight training, and mobility work.
The past few years have been rough personally: his wife Hayley Erbert suffered a cranial hematoma in December 2023 and underwent emergency surgery. She’s since returned to performing.
5. Bruno Tonioli
The most theatrical judge on the panel, Tonioli is listed near 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) and keeps a trim frame in the 170-pound neighborhood. He trained as a professional dancer in Italy before choreographing for Elton John, Tina Turner, and Freddie Mercury.
He now splits duties between DWTS and Britain’s Got Talent, where he replaced Simon Cowell’s longtime co-judge David Walliams in 2023. He’ll be 70 during the fall 2026 run.
6. Robert Irwin
The reigning champion. Irwin won season 34 in November 2025 with partner Witney Carson, and reigning winners almost always turn up during the following season for a guest number or finale appearance.
He’s about 6 ft (1.83 m) and in the 175-pound range. Wrangling crocodiles at Australia Zoo is functional training in its own right, but he’s said the DWTS schedule leaned him out noticeably — long rehearsal blocks torch calories in a way standard gym work doesn’t.
7. Witney Carson
Carson has been a pro since season 18 and now has two mirrorballs — Alfonso Ribeiro in 2014 and Robert Irwin in 2025. She’s 5 ft 4 in (1.63 m) and around 115 lbs.
She’s danced through two pregnancies on the show and returned to the ballroom within months of giving birth both times, which says plenty about her conditioning base.
8. Val Chmerkovskiy
Two-time champ, about 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) and 165 lbs. Chmerkovskiy lifts seriously in the off-season and has talked about needing upper-body strength for lifts that most people underestimate.
He partnered Alix Earle in season 34 and has been with the show on and off since season 13.
9. Jenna Johnson
Season 26 winner and one of the most technically clean pros on the roster. Johnson is around 5 ft 4 in (1.63 m) and 115 lbs.
She’s been candid about the mental side of dancing — body image pressure, postpartum recovery after welcoming son Rome in January 2023, and the toll of a 12-week competition schedule.
10. Daniella Karagach
Karagach won season 30 with Iman Shumpert in just her second season as a pro. She’s about 5 ft 3 in (1.60 m) and 110 lbs, and she’s a world-ranked Latin competitor alongside husband Pasha Pashkov.
She gave birth in 2024 and was back on the floor for the following season — a fast turnaround that’s become the norm among the DWTS pro women.
11. Rylee Arnold
The youngest pro on the roster, Arnold joined in season 32 at age 18. She’s 5 ft 5 in (1.65 m) and around 120 lbs, and she came up through the same Utah competitive circuit that produced the Hough siblings and Witney Carson.
She partnered Scott Hoying in season 34. Her sister Lindsay Arnold was a longtime pro on the show.
Expect the full celebrity lineup two weeks before the premiere, typically announced on Good Morning America. Once those names land, we’ll add heights, weights, and training details for every contestant — and track the weight loss numbers as the rehearsal hours pile up. The first four weeks are where the biggest changes show up.
Frequently Asked Questions
How tall is Derek Hough?
Derek Hough is 5 feet 10 inches tall, which is about 178 centimeters. That puts him slightly above the average American male height of 5 ft 9 in.
How much does Derek Hough weigh?
Derek Hough weighs approximately 75 kg (165 pounds). His lean, athletic build comes from decades of daily ballroom and contemporary dance training.
How old is Derek Hough?
Derek Hough was born on May 17, 1985, in Salt Lake City, Utah, making him 40 years old. He is a Taurus.
What is Derek Hough’s net worth?
Derek Hough’s net worth is estimated at around $8 million as of 2026. His earnings come from Dancing with the Stars, live tours, judging gigs, acting roles and endorsements.
Who is Derek Hough married to?
Derek Hough married professional dancer Hayley Erbert in August 2023. The couple met while touring together and have danced as partners on stage and on television.
What is Derek Hough best known for?
Derek Hough is best known as a record-setting professional dancer and choreographer on ABC’s Dancing with the Stars, where he won six mirrorball trophies before returning as a judge. He also earned Emmy Awards for outstanding choreography and judged NBC’s World of Dance.
How does Derek Hough stay in shape?
Derek Hough combines hours of daily dance rehearsal with functional strength training, mobility work, yoga and cardio conditioning. He follows a mostly clean diet built on lean protein, vegetables, complex carbs and plenty of water, allowing occasional treats.
Is Derek Hough related to Julianne Hough?
Yes, Julianne Hough is Derek Hough’s younger sister. Both trained in ballroom dance in London as teens and both became professional dancers and champions on Dancing with the Stars.
Trending Now
Last Updated: September 28, 2026 | Source: Healthy Celeb
