Bravo host Andy Cohen has ruled out competing on Dancing With the Stars, revealing he turned down an invitation years ago because he cannot dance on television.
The 57-year-old presenter of Watch What Happens Live addressed long-running rumors about his potential appearance on the hit ABC reality competition series in an interview published by Variety on August 25, 2026.
"I got an ask about Dancing with the Stars many, many, many years ago," Cohen told Variety. "I can’t dance on TV. No one wants to see that."
While Cohen is fearless when interviewing celebrities in the Bravo Clubhouse, he admitted his confidence does not extend to formal dance routines. "I used to be the greatest freeform dancer," Cohen added, "and I feel like every time I go to [Grateful] Dead shows, people film me dancing, and then I get made fun of on TikTok. Let me dance in peace."
Cohen, who is the father of seven-year-old Ben and four-year-old Lucy, has been a central figure at Bravo and host of its late-night talk show. Watch What Happens Live, which airs from New York City, features Cohen interviewing pop culture figures and cast members from Bravo's unscripted reality franchises.
Cohen also addressed whether he would consider joining Peacock's reality competition series The Traitors to battle rivals. He revealed that producers have never approached him to participate in the show, which films at a remote castle in the Scottish Highlands.
"They haven’t asked me," Cohen revealed. "First of all, I think I would be eliminated immediately." He explained that he would feel like "such a target" among fellow contestants.
Beyond game dynamics, Cohen pointed to his ongoing duties as host of the show's reunion specials. "I host the reunion, which I would like to keep doing," he explained. "I don’t think I could do that if I were on it." He added, "I’ve produced competition reality shows. So I don’t know who would want me on their cast."
For now, Cohen is overseeing Bravo's Housewives franchise. The lineup now includes Million Dollar Listing alum Tracy Tutor, who recently joined The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills for season 16.
"This is a very long time coming," Cohen confessed to Variety regarding Tutor's casting. "She’s been on Watch What Happens Live for years promoting Million Dollar Listing, and she overlaps with the Housewives of Beverly Hills. Also, her personal story is so great. She’s climbed her own mountains. She’s aspirational. If the hallmark of being a great Real Housewife is speaking how you feel, she’s certainly a bullseye."
Celebrity earnings on Dancing With the Stars
As fans anxiously await the full season 35 cast announcement for Dancing With the Stars, financial reports and former contestants reveal how compensation works on the ABC series. Citing multiple sources, Variety reported in 2019 that contestants make $125,000 for the rehearsal period and the first two weeks of the show. Stars who progress beyond that point earn additional money each week, with sources telling the publication at the time that contestants could earn a maximum of $295,000.
However, radio personality Bobby Bones said he earned even more when he won season 27 with professional partner Sharna Burgess in 2018. Speaking on a September 2025 episode of Jason Tartick's podcast Trading Secrets, Bones detailed his earnings on the series.
"That show pays OK," Bones said on the podcast. "Like, first episode, no money. Second episode, $10,000. I think it's like, $10,000, $10,000, $20,000, $20,000. It ends up being $50,000 an episode if you last."
Bones noted that contestants also receive a base salary of around $110,000. "I ended up making close to $400,000 from that show," Bones disclosed. ABC has not publicly confirmed any of these figures.
Professional dancer compensation and contracts
Little financial detail has been confirmed publicly regarding how much professional dancers earn, though compensation increases the longer a pro remains in the competition. Dancers who are eliminated in the first round still receive guaranteed pay for a specified period.
"You're guaranteed until a certain amount of weeks," professional dancer Jenna Johnson said on a June 2025 episode of Kelly Stafford and Hank Winchester's podcast The Morning After. "I think there's different contracts though. I can't speak for everybody."
Johnson, who won season 26 with Olympic figure skater Adam Rippon and season 33 with The Bachelor star Joey Graziadei, clarified that winning does not provide a larger base paycheck or cash prize. Winners receive the Len Goodman Mirrorball Trophy, named in memory of the late head judge.
"If you make it all the way to the end, you're getting paid the whole season, which is amazing, and you get a bonus on top of that for making it to the finale," Johnson explained on The Morning After. "If you win, it's not like you win a $1 million and split it with your partner. You're just getting a cute trophy together."
Meanwhile, members of the show's dance troupe make significantly less than main professional partners. On a 2022 episode of Trading Secrets, Lindsay Arnold recalled that her salary was cut "more than in half" when she was demoted from professional dancer to troupe member.
Partner pairings and selection rules
Professional dancers receive little input when it comes to being matched with celebrity partners. "You get no say," Lindsay Arnold revealed on a May 2025 episode of Maggie Sellers' Hot Smart Rich podcast. "It's very much just, 'Here's your partner. Make it work.'"
Producers keep pairing decisions strictly hidden until moments before the pairs meet on camera. "They really want to keep it a secret until you meet them live," Johnson explained on The Morning After. "They want that genuine reaction. So I think people always think we know who we have and we're keeping it a secret. Absolutely not. They do not tell us. They really don't even want us to know the cast. It gets leaked a lot, but they want it very hush-hush until you walk in and meet your partner."
When creating matches, executive producers evaluate height, build, personality, and personal chemistry. Former showrunner Rob Wade told E! News in 2015 that compatibility is vital for the competition.
"It's based on height, build and personality and compatibility," Wade stated. "We don't pair people who aren't going to get on. It's too intense. It's not like The Bachelor or something, we couldn't do that. That would just be miserable experience for the celebrity, for us and the viewer. You don't want to see two people who don't like each other and, quite frankly, we have made that mistake pairing people up who didn't get on so well."
Rehearsal schedules and song selection
The daily rehearsal commitment for Dancing With the Stars is demanding for both celebrities and professionals. Rylee Arnold, who was partnered with Olympic gymnast Stephen Nedoroscik on season 33, outlined the rigorous timetable on a September 2024 episode of the Lightweights Podcast With Joe Vulpis.
"Every day we have four-hour rehearsals," Rylee Arnold said. "It’s either 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. or 5:00 p.m to 9:00 p.m."
In addition to practice sessions, dancers consult with producers, build choreography, and review footage. "Literally my whole life is devoted to it," Rylee Arnold shared, "but it's my passion and it's what I love. So, it makes me so happy."
The weekly routine operates without days off throughout the broadcast season. "We have our show day on Tuesday and then it's Wednesday to Sunday, straight rehearsals," Rylee Arnold explained. "And then Monday we have camera blocking and then Tuesday's show day again."
When selecting music for competition routines, dancers have significant creative input. Emma Slater and Britt Stewart confirmed in a September 2025 Instagram video that pros pick their songs "Mostly yes," adding, "though it's a collaboration with producers."
Costume department workflow and turnaround
Behind the scenes, the show's wardrobe team works under intense deadlines to design custom costumes for every performance. Costume designer Daniela Gschwendtner detailed the process to TV Insider in 2017.
"We meet with the set and lighting designers, dancers and talent and create a story [for each pair]," Gschwendtner explained. "Then we sketch out ideas. We have five days, max, to make all the outfits. That’s half a day per costume, not including all the rhinestones. The fitting and trimming we do later. We have about 20 people in our department and then we have a separate tailor shop. It’s a big enterprise."
Costume designer Steven Norman Lee noted that contestants usually try on outfits for the first time just hours before going live. While the team "might use a pair of pants again for the boys," garments are custom built each week.
"We do reuse things for group numbers or promo shoots, but not for the competition," Gschwendtner added. "We don’t reuse things unless there’s a specific reason to do so. We try to keep everybody fresh and new in something different every week, so it stays interesting."
