'So You Think You Can Dance' Judges Have Already Changed in Season 17

Who are the 'So You Think You Can Dance' judges? The dancing competition returned in 2022 after a hiatus. Here's the scoop on the judges.

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'So You Think You Can Dance' Season 16 Top 10

After a nearly three-year hiatus, the dancing competition show So You Think You Can Dance is back on Fox. Thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic, the show was shut down for some time, leaving fans with a void in their TV lineup. Now, it's been refreshed with a whole new panel of judges full of big names for its 17th season.

Here's who they are and when you can watch it.

Jojo Siwa

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Jojo Siwa danced her way into our hearts on Dance Moms years ago. But over time, she's continued to stand on her own and become a household name. She's got a well-known brand thanks to her bright, sparkly aesthetic and a fanbase that loves it. Back in 2021, she competed on Dancing With the Stars and stood out as the only contestant of the season to have any previous dancing experience.

Stephen "tWitch" Boss

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Fans of So You Think You Can Dance have probably seen tWitch before. In fact, dancing is how he got his nickname. He was a runner-up on the 2008 season of the show, and he later on came back as a guest judge. Over the years, he's also worked as a choreographer for a number of different artists, so if there's anyone who's fit to be a judge on this show, it's him.

Matthew Morrison

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So many of us know Matthew Morrison from his time as Will Schuester on Glee, but he's got a résumé full of experience with on- and off-Broadway productions. Most notably, he played Link Larkin in Hairspray on Broadway. He was also a dance captain on the BBC One show The Greatest Dancer, a British dance competition show.

Unfortunately for Matthew, he left the show in the middle of Season 17 and was replaced with Leah Remini. In a statement, he explained he was leaving because he did "not follow competition production protocols." A source claimed that Matthew sent inappropriate text messages to a female contestant.

Leah Remini

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Leah stepped in as a judge for So You Think You Can Dance on June 15, 2022. Previously, she competed on Season 1 of Dancing with the Stars, alongside professional dancer Tony Dovolani; they finished in fifth place.

"I am thrilled to join So You Think You Can Dance on its milestone 300th episode," Leah said in a statement from the network, per ET Online. "I look forward to guiding these incredibly talented artists through this competition as a fan of the show and a great admirer of dancers. I can't wait to see the artistry that the contestants bring to the stage!"

Who is hosting 'So You Think You Can Dance' 2022?

Fans were glad to know that So You Think You Can Dance's longtime host, Cat Deeley, was back for the 17th season. She has hosted the show since its second season, and she's had tons of experience in the field. She has hosted and guest-hosted numerous shows, including Live With Kelly and Ryan and This Time Next Year.

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The new season of So You Think You Can Dance started airing on May 18, 2022, and auditions began in March 2022. According to Variety, Fox announced that during this time, it was looking for "highly skilled dancers between the ages of 18 and 30, showcasing their talents in various dance styles, including contemporary, tap, hip-hop, ballroom, animation, breaking, and more."

From there, the dancers chosen for the show would travel to New York, Los Angeles, and New Orleans for another round of auditions. Then, the final ones chosen would have to prove their skills in front of a panel of judges before being selected for the show.

You can watch the premiere of Season 17 of So You Think You Can Dance on Wednesdays at 9 p.m. EST on Fox.

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