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Dancing With the Stars fans have predicted which dancer may replace Lindsay Arnold as a professional when the show returns for Season 31.
Arnold, who also goes by her married name of Lindsay Arnold Cusick, recently announced that she will not be taking part in the upcoming installment of the ballroom dancing competition.
The 28-year-old joined the show during Season 16, when she was just 18 years old, but told fans in an Instagram post that she made the "hardest" choice not to continue being part of the cast.
Posting a picture of herself with her husband Samuel Cusick and their daughter Sage on her page, Arnold shared the caption: "I wanted to let you all know that I have decided not to be a part of Dancing With the Stars this season. This has been one of the hardest decisions to make but ultimately I have chosen what I feel is best for myself and my family.
"DWTS has been a part of my life for over 10 years now and when I say I love the show with all of my heart I mean it!! This show has changed my life forever and will always mean the world to me."
Arnold's announcement comes after her co-star Sharna Burgess also revealed to fans that she has quit the show.
In a series of videos on Instagram Stories, Burgess, who gave birth to her first child with boyfriend Brian Austin Green earlier in 2022, said: "I have some news that I have to tell you guys because I keep getting so many DMs about it.
"After long conversations and lots of thinking and really trying to sit with what was right, and many conversations with Deena Katz, who is our casting director but also a second mom to me, I made the really hard decision to not do this season of Dancing with the Stars. There's been a list that has been released saying that I would be a pro and I won't be."
The Australian dancer, who competed with her real-life partner in Season 30, explained to fans the she is not ready to stay away from her newborn son, Zane, but hinted that she will be involved in the show "in some capacity."
Following the two shock announcements, fans have speculated about who could be set to replace Arnold and Burgess as professional partners when DWTS returns.
The troupe of dancers for Season 31 has been announced but, as fans of the show know, not every member of the troupe ends up being paired up with a celebrity.
On Reddit, user ActivityAncient4324 posted: "I have a feeling that Kateryna is going to replace Sharna [Burgess] for pro this season. She is the only member of the announced troupe who hasn't posted anything about being on the cast same as Koko. Probably a surprise reveal for them. Who's the female dancer you think is taking her spot on the troupe?"
Kateryna Klishyna is a Ukrainian dancer who has been on DWTS in Georgia.
MarineDynamite responded to the post, writing: "That would certainly be interesting... Especially because she's the least-known of the dancers whom we know have been cast."
"I wouldn't mind seeing Kateryna on as a pro!" added IndigoWolf4711. "My Predictions are either Kateryna, Alexis [Warr] or Anna Trebunskaya returns."
Another DWTS viewers, liftandsupport, also replied, writing: "I hope so. I really like her."
Amid the changes to the DWTS pro lineup, there is another new face joining the long-running series.
It was announced earlier this year that Alfonso Ribeiro will be the new co-host of Dancing With the Stars.
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air actor Ribeiro won the show back in 2014 with Witney Carson and has served as a guest judge on the U.K. version Strictly Come Dancing.
The actor, 50, will join Tyra Banks in presenting the ABC hit, which will stream episodes live on Disney+ for the first time when it returns on September 19.
Len Goodman, Carrie Ann Inaba, Bruno Tonioli and Derek Hough will once again be on the judges panel. The celebrity lineup is yet to be revealed.
About the writer
Laura Donaldson is a Newsweek Film and TV Reporter (SEO), based in Edinburgh, U.K. Her focus is on reality TV. ... Read more