‘DWTS’ Alfonso Ribeiro Suffers Concussion: Will He Appear on Season 32 Premiere?
Dancing With the Stars‘ host, Alfonso Ribeiro, has suffered a concussion. Will this jeopardize his appearance on the season 32 premiere of the ABC reality competition dance series? Here are all the details.
‘DWTS’ returns, but will Alfonso Ribeiro be in the ballroom?
Alfonso Ribeiro is scheduled to helm the 32nd season of ABC’s DWTS when the series returns beginning Tuesday, Sept. 26. His co-host is Julianne Hough, former DWTS pro, judge, and two-time mirrorball winner.
The entertainer shared the story of his injury with Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos on Live With Kelly and Mark. While attending his son’s baseball game, Ribeiro was struck in the head by a flyaway ball, causing a concussion.
“I got concussed last week. I was standing off to the side, and I’m putting someone’s number in the phone and, boom, a ball to the back of my head. Right in the back,” Ribeiro said.
Ribeiro said he hit the floor as soon as the ball hit him. “I go down.” For days, he felt disoriented, he told Ripa and Consuelos. “For, like, three days, I’m like, ‘Huh? Wha?’”
He concluded, “My wife [Angela] seems to think it was just me saying I didn’t want to do nothing at the house,” he says. “It wasn’t that. It was a good hit.”
Alfonso Ribeiro reveals celebrity stories will dominate this season of ‘DWTS’
The celebrity cast of DWTS is a who’s who in the worlds of music, movies, television, and entertainment. Therefore, their stories will be as varied as their types of work.
Alfonso Ribeiro revealed the celebrity stories will be as compelling as their dancing. He told Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos the personal edge will be critical during season 32.
“Every season, it’s a great cast,” he began. “But this time, it’s about the stories.”
He continued, “These individuals have great human stories. What I’ve noticed so far is that these people are willing to open thier hearts up.”
“They let people in. That is the key to Dancing With the Stars.”
Ribeiro concluded, “But when you let people into your heart. It’s not easy to have someone beat up on you for five or six days a week, and that’s what happens when you go through the process of learning a dance. When people admit they are struggling, it’s the best reality show out there.”
What can ‘DWTS’ fans expect during season episode 1?
A new star-studded cast of celebrities and their pro partners will hit the dance floor. Dancing With the Stars revealed its newest cast of celebrity participants on Sept. 13, 2023, who will perform for judges Derek Hough, Carrie Ann Inaba, and Bruno Tonioli.
The celebrity cast of DWTS who will compete for the newly minted Len Goodman Mirrorball Trophy include Charity Lawson, Ariana Madix, Harry Jowsey, and Xochitl Gomez. Also competing are Barry Williams, Alyson Hannigan, Mauricio Umansky, Tyson Beckford, Lele Pons, Adrian Peterson, Jason Mraz, and Jamie Lyn Spears.
The competitors will perform a Cha Cha, Foxtrot, Jive, Salsa, or Tango during the season’s first episode. The season premiere will also feature a dazzling opening number to “Levitating” by musical guest star Dua Lipa.
Dancing With the Stars season 32 debuts Tuesday, Sept. 26. The series will simulcast on ABC and Disney+ and will be available to stream the next day on Hulu.
