Bravo's Ciara Miller Joins 'Dancing With the Stars' Season 35 as Competition Returns to ABC

Bravo's Ciara Miller Joins 'Dancing With the Stars' Season 35 as Competition Returns to ABC

The Summer House star and Love Island alum Maura Higgins are the first two celebrities announced for the upcoming season of the hit dancing competition.

The ABC dancing competition is gearing up for its next installment with the announcement of its initial celebrity participants. Summer House cast member Ciara Miller and The Traitors and Love Island veteran Maura Higgins have been unveiled as the first two famous faces joining season 35. The network made the announcement Wednesday during Hulu's Get Real House 2026 presentation, which highlighted the streaming platform and ABC's upcoming unscripted programming lineup.

The show will premiere this fall on ABC and Disney+, with episodes becoming available on Hulu the following day. The complete roster of celebrity contestants and professional dance partners will be revealed at a future date.

Building on Momentum From Season 34

Miller's addition to the cast represents a significant move for the competition, which experienced a notable resurgence during its previous season. After two decades on television, Dancing With the Stars achieved renewed ratings success and record-breaking audience engagement during season 34. The production team attributed this turnaround to increased visibility on TikTok and social media platforms, as well as strategic casting decisions. The season also delivered the show's highest-rated finale in a decade.

The Bravo personality's casting continues this winning streak. Miller, who has built a devoted fan following, is currently emerging from a dramatic situation within the Bravo universe with considerable audience backing. The ICU nurse-turned-model and red-carpet host was recently caught in a complicated scenario involving two of her Summer House castmates: her former best friend Amanda Batula and Miller's ex-boyfriend West Wilson, who have recently entered into a relationship. This storyline will be explored during the season's upcoming reunion special, where Miller is scheduled to appear.

Speculation had previously circulated about whether Miller might become a candidate for leading an upcoming season of The Bachelorette. However, with that franchise currently on pause following the cancellation of its planned 22nd season featuring Taylor Frankie Paul, the Dancing With the Stars opportunity represents a high-profile alternative casting move.

Expanding the 'Dancing With the Stars' Universe

In addition to announcing new cast members for season 35, ABC revealed an expansion of the Dancing With the Stars franchise with the introduction of a spinoff competition series. Dancing with the Stars: The Next Pro will premiere this summer on July 13 at 8 p.m. on ABC, with subsequent episodes available on Hulu.

Hosted by season 34 winner Robert Irwin, the new series will bring together 12 emerging professional dancers who will compete in a demanding audition process for the opportunity to join the pro roster for season 35. Three-time DWTS champion Mark Ballas and his mother Shirley Ballas will serve as judges, with returning professionals (to be announced) rotating in as mentors and guest judges.

About the Cast Members and Judges

Miller has been a fixture on Summer House for five consecutive seasons and has expanded her television presence through appearances on NBC's The Traitors season three, in addition to her modeling career and red-carpet hosting work.

Higgins, a globally recognized talent, recently achieved recognition as the runner-up finalist on The Traitors season four. The Love Island star made history as the first UK islander to transition into the American version of the series and has hosted both Love Island USA: Aftersun and Love Island Games: Aftersun.

Irwin, a dedicated wildlife conservationist, holds the title of most recent Len Goodman Mirrorball Champion. Ballas has built an extensive entertainment career spanning television, Broadway productions, dance performances and music. He served as a breakout professional dancer on DWTS for over a decade and earned an Emmy Award for outstanding choreography. He also appeared on The Traitors season four. Shirley Ballas, his mother, is an accomplished ballroom dancer, internationally respected dance instructor and head judge on BBC1's Strictly Come Dancing.

Both Dancing With the Stars and Dancing with the Stars: The Next Pro are produced by BBC Studios, with Conrad Green serving as showrunner and executive producer on the new spinoff series.