American Idol 15 Monday show delaying Dancing with the Stars 26

Just in case you were wondering why Dancing with the Stars 26 — its first-ever all-athlete edition — is starting so late, we’ve now got an official answer for you.

Today, ABC confirmed that there will be an American Idol 15 Monday show to go along with the broadcasts on Sunday. Basically, this means that there will be two broadcasts and roughly four hours of content a week for the first chunk of the season.

American Idol 15 premieres on Sunday, March 11, and then following that the first Monday show of the season will air on March 12. This show will run two nights a week for the majority of the season, and then will scale back in late April to pave the way for the next Dancing with the Stars. Season 26 of the long-running stable officially begins on Monday, April 30. This is expected to be a shorter season than in years past, and we’re honestly not sure just how interesting it’s going to be. Every now and then we get a super-entertaining and compelling athlete like a Maril Davis or a Rashad Jennings; however, the majority of the time they are fairly interchangeable and don’t bring much in the way of big personalities.

ABC clearly has invested a lot in American Idol 15 beyond just giving it a Monday show. They’ve spent tens of millions of dollars on the judging panel, paid a hefty sum to Ryan Seacrest, and revived a format in a way that some have claimed it’s premature. There are going to be huge expectations for this show to succeed and we wonder if those expectations are going to expand out now with the news that Dancing with the Stars is being held back specifically because of this show. While the ballroom dance competition may not be all that much of a ratings warrior, it does still generate better numbers (especially in total viewers) than the majority of the shows that are out there.

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What do you think about there being an American Idol 15 Monday show, and what do you think that this means for Dancing with the Stars’ future — if anything? Share in the comments below!

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