As previously announced, one of the celebrity contestants will be JoJo Siwa, who came out as pansexual earlier this year, and for the first time ever, she will be partnered with a female pro for a same-sex dance couple. “JoJo is going to be paired with a female pro dancer, who will be revealed on the premiere on September 20,” executive producer Andrew Llinares told reporters at the ABC TCA presentation, “but we are so, so excited that JoJo is doing this and for everyone to experience this on the show.” JoJo, too, is excited to have the opportunity to do something that has never been done before. “It breaks a wall that’s never been broken before,” she said. “I think that it’s really special that not only now do I get to share with the world that you get to love who you want to love, but also you get it dance with who you want to dance with." While JoJo said she has yet to figure out how she will dress, what shoes she will wear, and even who will lead, she feels that what her participation will give the audience makes it worthwhile. “It’s going to be tricky, but it’s going to give so much to people out there, people of the LGBTQ community, everyone, people who feel just a little different,” she continues. “It’s going to give them a sense of, ‘Wait a second! A girl can dance with a girl?’ Obviously, why not? I think that that’s really special that I get to do that on this show. I’m so excited in making history.” Host Tyra Banks also loves the message of having a same-sex couple on season 30. She said, “I think a lot of people are going to be excited about this. I think it’s going to save lives. I think it’s going to change lives, and it’s going to make a lot of noise. Noise that needs to be made.” And while that may be the major change for season 30, there is more. The season will see four judges this season—and that has been done before—but this season will mark the return of Len Goodman, who was sidelined by travel restrictions during COVID-19, who will join Carrie Ann Inaba, Derek Hough and Bruno Tonioli at the judges’ table. “It’s a full circle moment,” Andrew said. “He was there right from the beginning and he’s going to be back again for this 30th season, along with the other three amazing judges, who were with us last year." And a third change is that there will be all-new themes each week, themes that have not been seen before on the show. That said, it is hard to imagine that Disney Week won’t be the exception to the all-new themes rule and return. “We’re so thrilled that we are making the 30th season of this show,” Andrew says. “It’s such an exciting thing to be doing. We, behind the scenes, have been putting so much of our energy into making sure that this entire season is so special. Our attitude is that every week should be an event in its own right. It’s so exciting that on a 30th season, we can be doing brand-new things, so those themes will be revealed as to what they are as we go along.” In addition to JoJo, it was announced that Olympic Gold medalist Suni Lee would also be competing. The remaining 13 celebrities will be announced on Wednesday, Sept. 8, on ABC’s Good Morning America. Dancing with the Stars premieres its 30th season on Monday, Sept. 20 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on ABC. Next, Tyra Banks Shares the Big Changes She Wants to Make for Dancing With the Stars Season 30, Including at the Judges’ Table
