Carrie Ann Inaba Misses DWTS Season 34 Premiere Due to Illness

Lead: Longtime judge Carrie Ann Inaba was absent from the “Dancing with the Stars” Season 34 premiere on ABC on Sept. 16 after falling ill, prompting the competition to proceed with a two-judge panel.

Nut Graf: Inaba, who has served on the show’s judging panel since its debut in 2005, announced via Instagram hours before the live broadcast that she would rest at home and return next week, highlighting the show’s adaptability amid unexpected changes.

Premiere Absence

Carrie Ann Inaba revealed she was “feeling quite under the weather” and would sit out the Tuesday night taping, leaving Derek Hough and Bruno Tonioli to score opening performances on a 20-point scale instead of the usual 30.

Cast Reaction

Fellow judges and pros flooded social media with well-wishes:

• Derek Hough responded with a string of heart emojis.
• Julianne Hough wrote, “Get better soon sis ❤️‍🩹.”
• Jenna Johnson and Britt Stewart each sent encouraging messages.

Season 34 Highlights

Despite Inaba’s absence, the premiere featured 14 celebrity-pro partnerships including:

• Olympic gymnast Jordan Chiles & Ezra Sosa
• Fifth Harmony’s Lauren Jauregui & Brandon Armstrong
• Wildlife conservationist Robert Irwin & Witney Carson
• Reality star Dylan Efron & Daniella Karagach
• Actress Danielle Fishel & Pasha Pashkov

Return Next Week

Inaba confirmed she plans to rejoin the judging panel for the Sept. 23 episode once she recovers, ensuring the competition resumes its full three-judge format as the season progresses.