Carrie Ann Inaba Nearly Wardrobe Malfunction on DWTS Return
DWTS judge returns after illness; her reaction to a high-energy performance triggered a near-miss on live TV as Whitney Leavitt and Mark Ballas danced the cha-cha; no replacement judge was announced for that night.
Carrie Ann Inaba returned to the Dancing With the Stars judging panel Tuesday night, marking her first on-air appearance since illness sidelined her from last week’s Season 34 premiere. The moment that drew attention came during Whitney Leavitt and Mark Ballas’s cha-cha to Play That Funky Music by Wild Cherry, when Inaba, wearing a low-cut silver dress, reacted with palpable excitement. The live telecast captured a moment as she leaned forward in her chair and clapped enthusiastically, then, as she turned to address the pair, her dress shifted in a way that prompted chatter on social media.
Leavitt and Ballas delivered a high-energy performance that Inaba described as setting this competition on fire. The moment intensified as she rose from her seat, mimicked the roars of an engine, and gestured as if revving an imaginary engine. In that sudden movement, her dress slid, prompting a lighthearted quip about the wardrobe moment that viewers quickly understood as part of the live show.
Earlier Tuesday, Inaba posted a statement to Instagram explaining she would not be on the panel that night because she was feeling under the weather. She said she was resting up and looked forward to returning next week in good health, cheering the contestants on from home.
Page Six later reported there would be no on-air replacement for Inaba that night, leaving Bruno Tonioli and Derek Hough to judge alongside host Tyra Banks. The absence highlighted how the live broadcast adapts when a panelist is unavailable mid-season.
Fans and members of the DWTS circle offered support in the comments, with Julianne Hough wishing Inaba a speedy recovery and Hilaria Baldwin echoing the well-wishes. The exchange underscored the close-knit DWTS community as Season 34 presses forward with more performances and critiques.
Producers have kept the panel dynamics flexible this season as Inaba recovers, and Tuesday’s episode served as a reminder of the live show's unpredictability and the way the cast and crew rally around each other. As the competition advances, viewers will watch to see when Inaba returns to the panel and how the dynamic evolves with ongoing performances.
DWTS season 34 continues on ABC, delivering high-energy dances and on-air moments that keep the franchise in the spotlight for culture and entertainment audiences alike as the competition moves forward.
