After a nearly three-year break between seasons, “So You Think You Can Dance” will return this spring with an entirely new judging panel.
On Monday, the show’s official Twitter account revealed that season 17 will premiere on May 18 and JoJo Siwa, “SYTYCD” alum Stephen “tWitch” Boss and “Glee” star Matthew Morrison will join the judges’ table.
Longtime host Cat Deeley, who became a member of the “SYTYCD” family in 2006, is the only returning member from season 16.
After recently appearing on season 30 of “Dancing With the Stars” in 2021, Siwa will make a big leap from contestant to judge.
On the ABC series, she was declared the runner-up and made history as one-half of the first same-sex pair to compete on the show.
Boss was named the runner-up on “SYTYCD” way back in 2008. Since then, he has been featured as a co-host on “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” and “Ellen’s Game of Games.”
He repeatedly returned to the “SYTYCD” stage as a mentor, all-star and choreographer. He also previously served as a judge in season 15.
Morrison might seem like a wild-card pick, but he has a Broadway background and was a captain on the British dance series “The Greatest Dancer” in 2019.
Before Fox cancelled the 17th season of the dance competition series back in June 2020.
A Fox rep said in a statement at the time, “Production on Season 17 of SYTYCD will not be moving forward due to health and governmental restrictions in response to the COVID-19 pandemic,” according to TVLine.Co-creator and executive producer Nigel Lythgoe, Mary Murphy and Laurieann Gibson were previously tapped to be the panelists.
In March, the show announced on Twitter that the hiatus was finally over and that auditions would begin in New York, Los Angeles and New Orleans.
Following the announcement, Lythgoe shared with fans on Twitter that he was not asked to return to the show.
“I am so thrilled that America’s young aspiring dance talent will get to work with some of our greatest creative choreographers,” he wrote. “On a personally sad note, I have not been asked to be on the judging panel this season. I don’t know who will be saying “Cue Music” but I wish them well.”
Lythgoe had been a permanent judge on the series since it began in 2005.
Murphy joined him in the summer of 2007 for the show’s third season. She has taken a few seasons off throughout the show’s run, but she reclaimed her spot on the panel in the 14th season.
Gibson initially appeared solely as a choreographer on “SYTYCD” before eventually becoming a judge last season.
After seeing news of the major changes, fans shared their excitement and skepticism on Twitter.
“I’m happy you guys are back but I’m going to miss the @HOTtamaleTRAIN,” one wrote, referring to Murphy whose Twitter handle is a nod to her catchphrase on the show.
Many were pleased to see Deeley isn’t going anywhere. One fan tweeted, “Yay. I’m very happy that @catdeeley is back! That made my day. I’ll miss seeing Nigel.”
Another said, “I WILL NOT SHUT UP ABOUT TWITCH AND JOJO BEING ON THE PANEL.”