Will ‘Dancing With The Stars’ Replace Matt Walsh?

Matt Walsh from The Late Night Show With Stephen Colbert, sourced from YouTube

Is comedian Matt Walsh going to compete on Dancing With The Stars this season? That’s one question many DWTS fans are asking as the Season 32 premiere rapidly approaches.

On September 13, Good Morning America announced that the comedian would compete with pro dancer Koko Iwasaki on Season 32. But days into rehearsals, Matt Walsh announced he walked out after he was informed he was violating WGA strike rules.

The situation left DWTS execs and fans alike confused and bewildered. Many believed that ABC should postpone Dancing With The Stars until the strikes concluded.

Now, the WGA strike is largely over and the DWTS Season 32 premiere is just two days away. So what exactly does that mean for Matt Walsh?

Will comedian Matt Walsh rejoin the competition if the WGA strike officially ends?

TV Line shares that the Writers Guild of America and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers reached a “tentative deal,” effectively ending the strike after 146 days. However, it’s important to note that the strike could resume if the WGA members reject the deal after voting.

Matt Walsh stated he was stepping away from DWTS until the strike was over. So does this mean that he’s coming back to the rehearsal room?

Matt Walsh and Koko Iwasaki from Good Morning America, Sourced from YouTube
Matt Walsh & Koko Iwasaki/Good Morning America

It’s not immediately clear how Dancing With The Stars plans to handle this situation. The show kept using footage of Matt in their marketing materials, long after he walked out of the rehearsal room.

However, all the other Season 32 contestants have had plenty of time to practice and learn their routines. If Matt Walsh plans to step back into the rehearsal room now, he will have a lot of catching up to do.

Will DWTS replace the comedian for the season?

Dancing With The Stars does replace contestants from time to time. In Season 2, Master P replaced his son Romeo Miller after he suffered an injury and couldn’t compete. Likewise, Sailor Brinkley-Cook filled in for her mother Christie Brinkley in Season 28 for the same reason.

If Matt Walsh still won’t compete, it’s entirely likely that DWTS will replace him. But at this point in production, it could also be too late for that. It’s also possible that Season 32 will continue with the 13 remaining couples, completely removing Matt and Koko from the lineup altogether.

Koko Iwasaki and Matt Walsh from Instagram
Koko Iwasaki/Instagram

There is still quite a bit up in the air right now. As of September 25, Koko Iwasaki still has her promotional photos with Matt pinned on her Instagram page.

Do you think Matt Walsh will be able to compete this season? Should he continue at all, or will the show replace him? Don’t forget to share your thoughts and opinions in the comments.

Catch the Dancing With The Stars Season 32 premiere Tuesday night at 8 PM Eastern time on ABC. Follow TV Shows Ace online to see what’s happening next with DWTS.

Nikole Behrens
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