Dancing with the Stars: The Next Pro draws 5.33M viewers

The new spinoff series "Dancing with the Stars: The Next Pro" has debuted to strong ratings, marking a successful expansion for the long-running franchise. The premiere episode, which aired on July 13, attracted 5.33 million total viewers after three days of viewing across ABC, Disney, Hulu, and digital platforms, according to Nielsen data.

The series, which searches for the next professional dancer to join the main show's upcoming 35th season, delivered ABC's best summer series premiere in six years. It also earned a 0.86 rating among adults aged 18-49, making it the network's strongest Monday unscripted summer debut in that demographic in over two years. For comparison, the live same-day premiere for the 34th season of "Dancing with the Stars" last fall drew 5.5 million viewers.

Hosted by Robert Irwin, the reigning champion from the flagship show's previous season, the competition features 12 aspiring professional dancers vying for a coveted spot. The judging panel is led by permanent judges Mark Ballas and his mother, Shirley Ballas, the head judge of the UK's "Strictly Come Dancing." They are joined by a rotating lineup of guest judges from the "Dancing with the Stars"...