Witney Carson announces surprising return to ‘DWTS’ following 2-year hiatus

Witney Carson is coming back for the Len Goodman Mirrorball Trophy.

After a two-year hiatus from “Dancing With the Stars,” the professional dancer told her Instagram followers that she is returning to the ABC show for Season 33.

“I am back on ‘Dancing With the Stars,’ and I cannot wait to get back on that dance floor,” she gushed in a video shared Thursday. “Just you wait until you meet my partner. You guys are going to die.”

Witney Carson is returning to “Dancing With the Stars” for Season 33. Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images The dancer made her announcement via Instagram Thursday. witneycarson/Instagram

The “So You Think You Can Dance” alum, 30, reposted the announcement to her Story to celebrate that “the cat is out of the bag.”

She wrote, “So happy to be back!”

The choreographer has previously competed in 13 “DWTS” seasons, securing a first place win with “Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” alum (and now “DWTS” co-host) Alfonso Ribeiro in 2014’s Season 19.

“The cat is out of the bag,” she wrote. ABC via Getty Images Carson is “so happy to be back” on the show. Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images

She most recently placed third with Wayne Brady in Season 31 in 2022.

At the time, Carson was pregnant with her and husband Carson McAllister’s second baby, a son named Jet.

The little one arrived in May 2023.

Her Thursday Instagram reveal comes after a two-year hiatus. witneycarson/Instagram She last competed in 2022 with Wayne Brady. Getty Images

Carson and McAllister are also the parents of son Leo, 3, who was born in January 2021 — which led to her Season 29 break.

Sasha Farber, Alan Bersten and more of Carson’s fellow “DWTS” pros praised her return via Instagram.

“So happy to have you back @witneycarson 🙌❤️🤩,” co-host Julianne Hough wrote, while Lindsey Arnold commented, “YES WIT.”

The then-pregnant star and Brady placed third. ©Disney+/Courtesy Everett Collection Carson won the show in 2014. Getty Images

Carson previously teased her return in a March interview with “Entertainment Tonight,” saying that “DWTS” is “always call[ing]“ her name.

“That show lives and breathes in me,” she said at the time — but clarified that her family is her “priority.”

The Emmy nominee said, “I want to [come back], so we’ll see what happens. I think in a few months we’ll start to have the talks and see where we’re at and see if we can do something like that.”

She was Alfonso Ribeiro’s partner at the time. Getty Images Only one Season 33 contestant has been revealed so far — Olympian Stephen Nedoroscik. ABC

Carson’s announcement comes one week after Olympian Stephen Nedoroscik was revealed as the first celeb contestant for the upcoming season.

“I’m very excited. I’m hoping to bring some [gymnastics] moves … I want to have fun with it,” the gymnast, 25, said on “Good Morning America.”

Season 33 of “Dancing With the Stars” premieres Tuesday, Sept. 17, on ABC and Disney+.