Beloved judge Bruno Tonioli has been with “Dancing With the Stars” since the show’s premiere. Even after 21 years and 35 seasons, the Italian judge feels passionate about ballroom dance.
As Tonioli looks forward to his 71st birthday this fall, some conversations surrounding his possible retirement have circled. Now, he’s opening up about his future with “Dancing With the Stars.”
Bruno Tonioli Absolutely Loves Judging on ‘Dancing With the Stars’
“Dancing With the Stars” has undergone many changes over the years. But Bruno Tonioli hopes to be part of the judging panel for many years to come.
“As #DWTS heads into Season 35, @BrunoTonioliOfficial looks to his future on the judges’ panel,” TV Insider shared on its official Instagram page.
“This is gonna be your 35th season as a judge,” the journalist from TV Insider tells Tonioli.
“I’m only 12! I can’t believe it,” Bruno replies in jest.
The reporter jokes that he isn’t sure how that math works, then asks how long the judge plans to continue on with the show.
“The thing with me, I’m kind of the least planning person. I love my job. I really really enjoy it,” the 70-year-old added. He went on to detail his appreciation for the public and fans.
“It’s almost like doing a Broadway show,” Tonioli continued. “There is such a feedback you get from the audience.”
He went on to gush over the pro dancers, noting that their performances always “excite” him week after week.
“They deliver work of the highest talent. And I’m always very excited about watching what they’re going to do,” the 70-year-old shared. He concluded by saying he would stick around as long as the show would have him.
“There’s no ‘Dancing With the Stars’ without Bruno,” the reporter replied.
“Well, I don’t know about that, but I hope so!” the judge laughed.
The Beloved Judge Recalls the Early Days of DWTS
Over the course of 35 seasons, Bruno Tonioli has seen DWTS at both its highest and lowest points. In the beginning, many executives weren’t even sure the show could be successful.
“It was May 2005, and at the time… Andrea Wong was running ABC, and Bob Iger was working there as well, and I know the story. It is a long story. They told me the story. And everybody was saying, ‘This is never gonna work. They’re crazy,’” the DWTS judge recently told PEOPLE.
Andrea Wong eventually approved the show. However, it took time for its popularity to grow. But by the show’s second season, Tonioli remembers it eventually caught up with “American Idol.”
“The reason it lasted, and it still is, is because it is a show that has a beating heart. It’s not fake. We really do it because we love it,” he told the outlet.
Over the years, “Dancing With the Stars” has had several changes. Bruno Tonioli knows that not every tweak has been popular, but they’re made with the audience’s interests in mind. The show wants to keep making the series even better.
“We always push the bar. We always make it better. And the audience really responds to that,” the judge continued. “We are really there 100%…We are there with our hearts beating. I think people get that. They get the truth.”
Bruno Tonioli and the rest of the “Dancing With the Stars” cast return to the ballroom this September on ABC. “Dancing With the Stars: The Next Pro” debuts on ABC on Monday, July 13.
