Carrie Ann Inaba was not at the "Dancing with the Stars" season 34 premiere tonight because she was feeling quite ill. She shared on social media that she couldn't attend the show due to illness and was resting at home. She plans to return to the show for the next live episode airing on September 23, 2025. There was no replacement judge for her on the panel tonight, so only Bruno Tonioli and Derek Hough judged the premiere.