Fox’s long-delayed 17th season of So You Think You Can Dance has subbed in Emmy Award winner Leah Remini for exiting judge Matthew Morrison. Remini will be taking a seat alongside SYTYCD fan-favorite Stephen “tWitch” Boss and JoJo Siwa beginning with the show’s 300th episode.
Matthew Morrison’s exit was announced on May 25, 2022, with the former Glee star saying he’d broken “competition production protocols.” Morrison’s initial statement offered little in the way of explanation but he did express his regret in having to leave the series.
“After filming the audition rounds for the show and completing the selection of the 12 finalists, I did not follow competition production protocols, preventing me from being able to judge the competition fairly. I cannot apologize enough to all involved and I will be watching alongside you all on what I know will be one of the best seasons yet,” stated Morrison.
As more details emerged, it appeared Morrison had inappropriate interactions with a female contestant. He eventually took to Instagram to explain his side of the story.
“It’s really unfortunate that I have to sit here and defend myself and my family against blatantly untrue statements made anonymously, but I have nothing to hide. So, in the interest of transparency, I will read to you the one message that I wrote to a dancer on the show:
‘Hey, it’s Matthew. If you don’t mind, would love to get your number and talk you through some things.’ The end.”
He continued: “I sent this because this dancer and I both share a mutual respect for a choreographer that I’ve known for over 20 years and I was trying to help her get a job as a choreographer on the show. It’s devastating that we live in this world where gossip rules and people’s lives are thrown around as clickbait.”
Whatever the case/cause, Morrison’s off Fox’s dance competition series and Remini is in. She’ll debut as a regular judge on the Wednesday, June 15, 2022 episode which will introduce the top 12 dancers.
“I am thrilled to join So You Think You Can Dance on its milestone 300th episode,” said Remini. “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!”
So You Think You Can Dance is experiencing the lowest ratings of its 17-season run. Season 17 episode one only drew in 2.1 million viewers and is down 23% compared to season 16’s numbers.
