Dancing with the Stars is an Australian light entertainment reality show which originally aired on the Seven Network from 2004 to 2015 and on Network 10 from 2019 to 2020. When it was on the Seven Network, it was broadcast live from the HSV-7 studios (now Global Television studios) in Melbourne; on Network 10 it aired live from Fox Studios Australia (now Disney Studios Australia) in Sydney and Docklands Studios in Melbourne. The show is based on the British BBC Television series Strictly Come Dancing and is part of BBC Worldwide's international Dancing with the Stars franchise. The show pairs celebrities with professional ballroom dancers who each week compete against each other in a dance-off to impress a panel of judges and ultimately the viewing public in order to survive potential elimination. Through telephone and SMS voting, viewers vote for the duo they think should remain in the competition. Judges' scores are combined with the viewer votes when determining which duo is eliminated.

History

2004–2015: Seven's original iteration

The show debuted in a short run from October to November 2004, then returned the following February. The show was a ratings success averaging around 2 million viewers a week nationally during its peak which places the series at number 1 of the entire day. The logo used for the first seven series of Dancing with the Stars is similar to the logo used by Strictly Come Dancing. The logo used for the eighth series and beyond is similar to that used by the US version of Dancing with the Stars. The program ended after 15 seasons when the Seven Network announced in October 2016 it would not renew the program, despite previously suggesting a sixteenth season would air in 2017.

2019–2020: 10's iteration

In September 2018, Network 10 announced the series would be revived and hosted by television presenters and former contestants Grant Denyer and Amanda Keller. The revival premiered on 18 February 2019. In October 2019, the series was renewed for a seventeenth season, which premiered on 9 February 2020. In October 2020, Network 10 announced the revived series would not return in 2021.

2021–present: Seven's second iteration

In December 2020, Seven announced they have re-gained the rights to the series, and will be bringing the show back with an All-Stars edition in 2021. The series was filmed at the ICC in Sydney during March 2021. The season premiered on 11 April 2021. In March 2023, the series was renewed for a 20th season which premiered on 18 June 2023, the season all-stars and featured all first time contestants. In October 2023, the series was renewed for a 21st season, it was also announced that Daryl Somers will be stepping back from hosting the show, and he will be replaced by Dr. Chris Brown, with Kruger returning to her hosting position to co-host alongside Brown.

Cast

Hosts

From seasons 1 to 7 and since season 18, entertainment legend Daryl Somers and dancer/actress/television presenter Sonia Kruger have been the two primary hosts. For season 8, Somers was replaced by actor Daniel MacPherson, when Somers returned to the Nine network to host the rebooted Hey Hey, It's Saturday. Kruger continued to co-host with MacPherson, until the start of season 12, when she also defected to the Nine network. Kruger was subsequently replaced by former Spice Girl Melanie Brown, who is a former contestant in the American version of the show, in season 5. In 2013, Brown was replaced by Sunrise weather presenter Edwina Bartholomew. In 2015, Shane Bourne replaced Daniel MacPherson as co-host. It was announced in September 2018 that in 2019, a 16th season would begin. A whole new cast and crew will be involved in a new production with a 'fresh look' with Grant Denyer and Amanda Keller co-hosting.

Judges

From seasons 1 to 7, the judging panel consisted of four primary judges: Todd McKenney, Helen Richey, Paul Mercurio and Mark Wilson. At the start of season 8, Mercurio left the judging panel. Before the eleventh season began, Wilson was dumped by the Seven network and replaced by Joshua Horner. McKenney, Richey and Horner have made up the primary judging panel since 2011. Kym Johnson who comes from the American version of the show, and Adam Garcia join the judging panel in 2013. In 2015, Bruno Tonioli, who comes from both British and American versions, replaced Garcia as a judge for the first three weeks before leaving just three judges for the rest of the season. Ian "Dicko" Dickson and Bruno Tonioli have also appeared as guest judges throughout the series, providing feedback and scores as part of their judging role. Pamela Anderson, Damian Whitewood, Olivia Newton-John and Dame Edna Everage have also appeared as guest judges on the Seven Network series, but providing comments and feedback only. For season 16, the judging panel consisted of three primary judges: Craig Revel Horwood, Sharna Burgess and Tristan MacManus. For seasons 18 and 19, the original panel of Todd McKenney, Helen Richey, Paul Mercurio and Mark Wilson returned. For season 20, Richey and Mercurio departed, while Burgess and Revel Horwood returned to the series.

Professional partners

Color key:

Series overview

Champion of Champions

In late 2005, the winners of series two (Tom Williams) and three (Ada Nicodemou) competed against each other for the title of Champion of Champions. Series one winner Bec Hewitt did not compete, as she was pregnant at the time. Ada Nicodemou and her partner Aric Yegudkin won the championship, defeating Tom Williams and his partner, Kym Johnson, based on the judges' scores.

Scoring chart

Running Order

Individual judges scores in the chart below (given in parentheses) are listed in this order from left to right: Todd McKenney, Helen Richey, Paul Mercurio, Mark Wilson.

Week 1

Week 2

Ratings