Fox Cancels “So You Think You Can Dance” After 18 Seasons

Fox Television Network confirmed that “So You Think You Can Dance” will not appear in its 2026-2027 schedule. Executives said the series remains historically important but “there’s no plans to order another season” and that “we’ve had conversations about it, but nothing formal.” The decision follows a broader renewal of most unscripted series, with the exception of the short-lived social-experiment show “The Snake.”

Deadline Hollywood

The dance competition premiered in summer 2005 and aired each year through summer 2019, completing sixteen seasons. After a COVID-19-related two-year hiatus, it returned for Season 17 in summer 2022 with judges JoJo Siwa, Matthew Morrison and Stephen “tWitch” Boss; Morrison left mid-season for protocol breaches and was replaced by Leah Remini. Season 18 aired in spring 2024—the first spring broadcast—hosted by Cat Deeley with judges Allison Holker, JoJo Siwa and Maksim Chmerkovskiy, and offered a $100,000 prize. Production was handled by Sony Pictures Television’s 19 Entertainment and Dick Clark Productions; executive producers included Daniel Martin (showrunner), Nigel Lythgoe, Barry Adelman, Eli Holzman and Aaron Saidman. The series aired 18 seasons in total, with the final season in 2024.

Variety Magazine

Michael Thorn, Fox’s pre-Upfront president, called SYTYCD “obviously a really important show in the history of Fox” and said the network “has no plans to order another season.” Rob Wade echoed the same message in remarks to reporters about the 2026-2027 schedule, noting that any future discussions remain informal.

Variety Magazine

Nigel Lythgoe faced two lawsuits alleging sexual assault and gender-based violence, including a claim by former “American Idol” judge Paula Abdul; the cases were settled in December 2024. The lawsuits coincided with Lythgoe’s withdrawal from Season 18, after which JoJo Siwa assumed his judging seat. The series also dealt with production issues, notably Matthew Morrison’s mid-season exit for violating competition protocols.

Variety Magazine

Sources differ on the spelling of the host’s surname: Deadline and Variety list “Cat Deely,” while E! uses “Cat Deeley.” The same quotation about the show’s status appears attributed to both Michael Thorn and Rob Wade, creating ambiguity about the original speaker. Fox disclosed only the quantity of upcoming unscripted series, offering no specifics on a replacement for SYTYCD’s summer slot.

Variety Magazine

> “Obviously, a really important show in the history of Fox, and right now, there’s no plans to order another season. We’ve had conversations about it, but nothing formal.” — Michael Thorn, President, Fox Television Network

Deadline Hollywood

Fox’s 2026-2027 schedule will feature more than fifteen new unscripted series, none of which include “So You Think You Can Dance” or “The Snake.” The network has not announced any alternative dance-competition program, leaving the genre’s future on Fox uncertain.

Variety Magazine