“Dancing with the Stars” producers are eyeing an Emmy win after a decade without a nomination in the reality TV category.
The reality show has never been bigger thanks to social media, but producers Deena Katz and Conrad Green never expected to be in the running for an Emmy Award.
Season 34 was a cultural lightning rod, but “DWTS” is now up for its first Outstanding Reality Competition Program nomination in ten years. It’s nominated against the likes of “RuPaul’s Drag Race”, “Survivor”, “Top Chef and “The Traitors.” This the show’s 11th nomination in the category, without a win (so far).
The November finale brought in 9.24 million viewers, doubling the Season 33 finale for audience in the 18 to 49 range. The Season 34 finale, which saw Robert Irwin crowned winner, was also the most-watched since 2015, when his sister Bindi lifted the trophy.
The team behind the reality show shared what they think helped them secure their nomination and become one of the biggest reality shows on TV.
What Made Season 34 of ‘Dancing with the Stars’ So Big?
ABCDeena Katz and Conrad Green spoke to Decider about the success of season 34 of “DWTS” and why they think it connected with audiences.
The reality show has earned a plethora of craft nominations at the Emmy Awards over the years, but it was last recognized in the reality competition program category in 2016. Alongside the top reality program nod, the ABC series secured four additional nominations in technical and creative craft categories.
They put the show’s popularity down to the casting. “You know, Alix Earle, Robert Irwin, Whitney Levitt, and Andy Richter, there were so many compelling characters, and all of the people on the show loved being on it,” Green told Decider at Televerse 2026.
He added, “I think that enthusiasm and passion for doing it is really infectious to watch. It’s quite a dark world at the moment, so to have something where you can see people trying to do something so positive and creating something so beautiful is kind of what we need right now in America.”
In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter at an FYC event in late April, showrunner Green highlighted how different their reality show was in comparison to others in the category. He believes the 11-week live format finally resonated with Emmy voters.
“I think the Emmy voters understand and appreciate that there’s very little like this on television anymore apart from those big award shows,” Green told the outlet, noting how few productions share these features.
He added: “For comedy, you’ve got “Saturday Night Live”; for dancing and entertainment, you’ve got “Dancing With the Stars”. It’s a similar process: It’s a weekly turnaround where you have to hit that excellence every time.”
Host Alfonso Ribeiro Feels ‘Lucky’ For ‘DWTS’ Success
Getty‘DWTS’ host Alfonso Ribeiro, who also won Season 19, has his own theories as to why the show has found a new lease of life.
“The Fresh Prince of Bel Air” actor believes that all the hard work behind the scenes helped land the dance competition and that Emmy nomination, and is why the show should win it.
“I think it’s the creativity and I think we had an incredible cast,” Ribeiro told Decider.
“Whenever I say incredible cast, it has nothing to do with just the dancing, right? [We have] People who move the needle, people who have the personality, people who show up and give of themselves and to their fans, people who want to be there and deliver their art, their heart to the audience and that is special,” he added.
The actor admitted he felt “lucky” because you can be sure when something is going to work and “why something comes together,” but somehow they found the recipe for success in Season 34.
“We’re hoping, and I feel really confident, that we’ll be able to do it again this year,” Ribeiro said, referencing the upcoming Season 35. They have already announced cast Savannah Bananas star Jackson Olson, “Summer House’s” Ciara Miller, “The Traitors’” Maura Higgins, and “Jimmy Kimmel Live’s” Guillermo Rodriguez.
Katz also added to Decider that the trick to casting was putting together an “interesting” mix of “relevant” yet “giving people something that they love.”
“It’s this amazing mixture of people that you know, right this second, you love and that you’re dying to see and then watching this all come together,” the woman behind the casting revealed.
Carrie Ann Inaba Praises ‘Well-Oiled Machine’
Disney/Eric McCandlessIn that same interview with Decider, Carrie Ann Inaba shared her thoughts on why the show has connected with audiences and voters. He said it was as much about the “mechanics” behind the scenes as it was the people competing for the Mirrorball Trophy.
“It can’t just be that everyone fans love one or two contestants, it has to also get the general audience engaged in a new and exciting way,” she said.
She praised the “well-oiled machine” that was production. “And I think what’s nice is it shows and people are resonating with that because it is college, but it’s also about the casting. I think casting this year was incredible.”
She highlighted Robert Irwin as the “brightest light” and Whitney Leavitt as the most beloved contestant in Season 34. “It’s a different type of casting from a different cultural base,” Inaba added.
During a live panel moderated by Ariana Madix, judge Derek Hough believed “DWTS” should win the award. “There’s no reality show that’s as real as Dancing With the Stars. Let’s get that Emmy!”
The 78th Emmy Awards will be broadcast live Monday, Sept. 14 on NBC and stream live on Peacock, where “DWTS” may win its first Outstanding Reality Competition Program after 12 nominations over two decades.
