TV Hot Spot: News

ABC Doubles Down on 'Dancing'

Post by: Sal

LOS ANGELES -- "American Idol" won't be the only highly rated talent competition on the air this spring.

ABC announced Sunday that it's bringing back "Dancing with the Stars" for a second run this season, starting in mid-March. So as not to compete directly with "Idol," the show will shift from Tuesday and Wednesday nights to Mondays and Tuesdays.

"The great thing about this air schedule is that fans won't have to choose between the two reality hits this spring," says Stephen McPherson, president of ABC Entertainment.

McPherson says the show has lined up about half of its celebrity cast so far; an announcement of the full group will come on "Good Morning America" closer to the show's Monday, March 19 premiere date.

The network has made a minor tweak to the show's format this time around, allowing the dancers two weeks of performances before the first elimination. The new season will debut with a two-hour show at 8 p.m. ET Monday, March 19, followed by another two-hour show on the 26th. The first results show will air at 9 p.m. ET Tuesday, March 27 -- most likely staying out of "Idol's" way, unless FOX decides to stretch out the performance shows.

Starting April 2, the "Dancing" performance shows will scale back to 90 minutes. What that will mean for ABC's current Monday lineup of "Wife Swap," "Supernanny" and "What About Brian" remains to be seen.

The 9 p.m. Tuesday slot is currently occupied by "Big Day," which wraps up its season on Jan. 30. ABC hasn't said how it will fill the hour in February and March.

"Dancing with the Stars" currently ranks as the No. 2 (Tuesday) and No. 4 (Wednesday) show of the 2006-07 season in total viewers. Both editions are also in the top 15 in the coveted adults 18-49 demographic.