The search for a replacement for Nigel Lythgoe was short-lived as So You Think You Dance quickly found a judge. After serving as a judge for season 17 of the reality show, JoJo Siwa will be returning to the panel for season 18, according to Fox’s announcement on Friday.
In addition to choreographer and former SYTYCD All-Star Allison Holker and another DWTS alum Maksim Chmerkovskiy, who both participated on The Traitors lately, the panel will also include twenty-year-old Siwa, who competed on season 30 of Dancing With the Stars, a rival dance competition series.
The longtime judge and co-creator of the series stepped down earlier this month in response to s*xual assault claims, ending his plans to return for season 18. “I have informed the producers of So You Think You Can Dance of my decision to step back from participating in this year’s series,” he stated in a press release.
This wonderful program has always been about dancing and dancers, and that’s where it has to be, so I did it with a heavy heart but very willingly. Meanwhile, I am fully committed to resolving this matter and repairing my reputation.
Paula Abdul and two other women who were once competitors on the reality show All American Girl have filed two separate lawsuits accusing Lythgoe of s*xual abuse. In addition to assaulting her assistant, Abdul has accused Lythgoe of s*xually assaulting her during an early season of American Idol and again while she was a judge on SYTYCD. Lythgoe refuted the claims made by Abdul.
On Monday, March 4, the 18th season of So You Think You Can Dance will premiere. The show’s format is changing this year, although Cat Deeley will still be the host.
According to Fox, the new format aims to more accurately portray the real-life challenges of establishing a dancing career. In order to give the contestants a taste of what it’s like to be a dancer, there will be new dance tasks added every week.
These challenges will include things like dancing in a music video, getting ready for a football halftime performance, and competing against a Broadway veteran. The fate of those remaining to vie for the $100,000 top prize is decided weekly by the judges.
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