'DWTS' contestant Matt Walsh walks out; ABC premiere may be delayed amid Hollywood strikes

The premiere of the 32nd season of "Dancing with the Stars" on ABC may face a delay due to ongoing strikes in Hollywood. ABC has confirmed that they are considering postponing the scheduled premiere on Tuesday in response to the strikes involving writers and actors.

One of the celebrity contestants, Matt Walsh from "Veep," partnered with professional dancer Koko Iwasaki, made a statement indicating that he walked out of a rehearsal in solidarity with the Writers Guild of America (WGA) strike. He clarified that he initially joined the show under the impression that it was not covered by WGA rules, but upon learning otherwise, he chose to take a pause from the competition.

"I am taking a pause from 'Dancing with the Stars' until an agreement is made with the WGA," Walsh stated through his representative, Samantha Srinivasan. "I was excited to join the show and did so under the impression that it was not a WGA show and fell under a different agreement. This morning when I was informed by my union, the WGA, that it is considered struck work, I walked out of my rehearsal."

Walsh expressed his support for his fellow union members in WGA, SAG-AFTRA, and DGA and hoped for a quick and equitable resolution to the strike. He also conveyed his appreciation for the people he had met on "DWTS."

It's worth noting that "Dancing with the Stars" is not in violation of WGA or SAG-AFTRA rules as it operates under a network code agreement that remains unaffected by the ongoing strike.

SAG-AFTRA, in a statement to USA TODAY, clarified that its members participating in "DWTS" are not in violation of strike rules and are fulfilling their contractual obligations under non-struck agreements. They emphasized their commitment to supporting union members across the industry while acknowledging their legal obligations under federal labor law.

USA TODAY reached out to other actors competing in the upcoming season, including Alyson Hannigan, Xochitl Gomez, Mira Sorvino, Jamie Lynn Spears, and Barry Williams. Gomez's representative declined to comment.

Spears had previously pledged to donate her "DWTS" earnings to the striking unions in a September 12 Instagram post, expressing her desire to give back to the community that has supported her.

The show is set to air on ABC and will also be available for streaming on Disney+ and Hulu this season, following its exclusive run on Disney+ in the previous season. Julianne Hough has taken over as co-host alongside Alfonso Ribeiro, replacing Tyra Banks.