Carrie Ann Inaba, a longtime judge on "Dancing with the Stars," missed the season 34 premiere on September 16, 2025, due to illness. She announced on Instagram that she was feeling quite under the weather and would not be at the show, but she planned to rest and return the following week in better health. There was no substitute judge for her during the premiere, and the judging panel consisted only of Bruno Tonioli and Derek Hough. Carrie Ann Inaba expressed her best wishes to the contestants and said she would be cheering them on from home.