‘Dancing With the Stars’ Season 35 Premiere Hits 6.7 Million Viewers, Best Opener in Six Years

"Dancing With Stars" returned for its Season 35 premiere on Tuesday, drawing a massive 6.67 million viewers across ABC and Disney+, marking a 24% jump from last year's premiere and setting a new record for the show since 2020. Among the 18-49 age demographic, the premiere saw a 40% increase, reaching a 1.48 rating, the best performance in that key group in nine years.

Nielsen data revealed that the episode topped entertainment programming in that demographic since the 2026 Oscars. ABC's network also highlighted the show's appeal among young women, scoring a 2.53 rating among women aged 18-34, the highest season premiere in 13 years since the Season 17 debut in 2013. This strong performance propelled ABC to claim the night's average with 5.34 million total viewers and a 1.06 rating among adults 18-49, a 38% advantage over second-place NBC in both total viewers and the key demo.

The two-night premiere featured male celebrities on the first night, with Paralympian Ezra Frech and alumni from "Grey's Anatomy" and "Glee" taking the spotlight. Wednesday's episode will focus on the female dancers, including Jenna Dewan from "The Rookie," Julia Stiles, and Ciara Miller from "The Summer House." "Dancing With the Stars" will return to its regular Tuesday schedule starting next week on ABC and Disney+, with the following day's episodes streaming on Hulu.