JoJo Siwa lands major new role as new So You Think You Can Dance judge
JoJo Siwa has signed on to be a judge on the upcoming season of So You Think You Can Dance. (Stefanie Keenan/Getty Images for GLAAD)
JoJo Siwa is making a triumphant return to TV as a new judge on the upcoming season of So You Think You Can Dance.
The reality dancing competition was paused in 2020 due to COVID restrictions. But Fox announced on Monday (4 April) that So You Think You Can Dance will make its triumphant return this year with an all-new panel of judges.
Competitors will now face the judgment of Siwa, Glee star Matthew Morrison and previous So You Think You Can Dance contestant and judge Stephen “tWitch” Boss. Host Cat Deeley will also be returning for season 17, which is set to premiere in May, Deadline reported.
JoJo Siwa, who competed in Dancing with the Stars last year, celebrated the announcement on Instagram, adding that her judging debut will come just before her birthday. She said it was the “best bday present ever”.
“FINALLY!…. So You Think You Can Dance is coming to FOX this summer and I am so grateful that I am going to be a judge,” Siwa wrote. “It’s such an honor to be a part of this show’s come back!!!”
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JoJo Siwa’s new job as a judge is a perfect fit given her extensive dance background.
She first rose to fame on Dance Moms,and was one-half of Dancing with the Stars’ first same-sex couple with professional Jenna Johnson.
The duo were frontrunners early on in the competition after back to back performances that won the hearts of judges and fans alike.
Siwa and Johnson came in second to former NBA star Iman Shumpert and his partner Daniella Karagach.
Siwa has spoken out multiple times about the profound impact that being on Dancing with the Stars had on her life. She previously told ET that she now feels “more self-aware”, “more confident” and “less scared of myself” as a result of being on the show.
JoJo Siwa, Boss and Morrison will be replacing original judges Nigel Lythgoe, Mary Murphy and Laurieann Gibson who were originally slated to return to the show in 2020.
So You Think You Can Dance season 17 will air on 18 May after the finale of The Masked Singer.
The competition features dancers aged between 18 and 30 showcasing their amazing talents in choreographed routines across a variety of dance styles like contemporary, tap, hip-hop, ballroom and breaking.
