DANCING WITH THE STARS© Disney

Exclusive: Bruno Tonioli reveals what fans can expect from 'feisty' Dancing With The Stars hopefuls

Dancing with the Stars returns on Tuesday September 17 on ABC

Rebecca Lewis - Los Angeles
Los Angeles correspondentLos Angeles
September 16, 2024

The new season of Dancing With The Stars will be "spicy and feisty," judge Bruno Tonioli told HELLO! ahead of the season premiere.

"It is a very, very good cast  – very spicy, very feisty. But it's a show that I always feel  is the first time – you can never approach it with what has happened before because they're all so different," he shared.

"It's so exciting and I just can't wait… my mind is completely open, and I'm ready to be dazzled."

© Kayla Oaddams

Bruno Tonioli attends the 2024 BAFTA TV Tea Party at The Maybourne Beverly Hills on September 14, 2024

Bruno was appearing at the Bafta TV Tea Party at the Maybourne Hotel in Beverly Hills, and rocked a gorgeous salmon suit with a mesh tank top. He joked that he would also hopefully "dazzle" the audience with his fashion fit during the premiere, which will see two Olympians, a model, actors, reality stars and convicted felon hit the dance floor.

The celebrities for season 33 of DWTS are Tori Spelling, Reginald VelJohnson, Brooks Nader, Eric Roberts, Anna Delvey, Chandler Kinney, Ilona Maher, Joey Graziadei, Danny Amendola, Dwight Howard, Jenn Tran, aPhaedra Parks, and  Stephen Nedoroscik.

© Eric McCandless

Bruno will return to the judging panel on Dancing with the Stars

Joey, who appeared on the last season of The Bachelor, will dance with Jenna Johnson, while his reality co-stars Jenn, from The Bachelorette, and Phaedra, from Real Housewives of Atlanta, will dance with Sasha Farber and Val Chmerkovskiy respectively.

Olympian Ilona will dance with Alan Bersten and Team USA Olympian and Stephen has been partnered with Rylee Arnold.

© Andrew Eccles

Eric Roberts and Britt Stewart

© Andrew Eccles

Danny Amendola and Witney Carson

Four of the 13 contestants are actors: Tori, partnered with Pasha Pashkov, is best known for her long-running appearance on Beverly Hills, 90210, while Eric, the brother of beloved Hollywood star Julia Roberts and the father of Emma Roberts, will dance with Britt Stewart.

Reginald VelJohnson most notably starred in the first two Die Hard films, and has been partnered with Emma Slater, while Chandler, dancing with Brandon Armstrong, is a Disney star known for the Zombies franchise.

© Andrew Eccles

Chandler Kinney and Brandon Armstrong

© Andrew Eccles

Pasha Pashkov and Tori Spelling

© Andrew Eccles

Ezra Sosa and Anna Delvey

NBA legend Dwight is dancing with Daniella Karagach, while former NFL star Danny – who won two Super Bowls alongside Tom Brady – is paired with Witney Carson.

Model Brooks, best known for her multiple appearances in Sports Illustrated's Swimsuit Issue, will dance with Gleb Savchenko while Anna has been partnered with new pro Ezra Sosa.

Hosted this year by Julianne Hough and Alfonso Ribeiro, Bruno will be joined by Carrie Ann Inaba and Derek Hough on the judging panel.  

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