Reason Kenzie and other Love Island stars won't be on Dancing With the Stars
Reason Kenzie and other Love Island stars won't be on Dancing With the Stars
Lauren DuBois Mon, July 20, 2026 at 5:42 PM UTC
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Love Island season 8 stars won't be appearing on the newest season of Dancing With the Stars (Image: Ben Symons/Peacock via Getty Images)
Love Island fans have been clamoring for some of their Season 8 favorites to appear on Dancing With the Stars-but if they do, it won't be on Season 35.
The Peacock dating reality show came to its conclusion on July 12, crowning Bryce Alakai Detloff and Trinity Tatum as its winners, and fans have been clamoring for some of the cast to be a part of the ABC dancing competition show's upcoming season.
However, after one major star already devastated fans by saying they will "never" do the show, it turns out their dreams of Love Island stars being a part of the competition are also not going to come true any time soon.
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While fans, as well as pro dancer Ezra Sosa, have all expressed hope that Kenzie Annis would be able to join the show, as it turns out, she-and the rest of the Season 8 islanders-aren't eligible for the show.
According to reports, their contracts prevent them from being involved with the show due to terms about the number of projects they can participate in.
Fans have been hopeful that Kenzie Annis would be on DWTS but she can't (Image: Kim Nunneley/Peacock via Getty Images)
According to The Ankler, contestants are placed under a one-year exclusivity period, which "puts some guardrails around the opportunities [Islanders] can say yes to."
It not only determines what brand deals a cast member can take, but also what television appearances they can make-seemingly keeping them from appearing on TV shows for a year after their stint on the show.
It likely explains why Islanders often opt to appear on Peacock's Beyond the Villa spinoff, because they can do franchise shows, but nothing else that competes.
This is why Season six Islander Jana Craig joined Destination X less than one year after her time at the villa, which is under the NBC banner. Similarly, Rob Rausch appeared on and won The Traitors, which also airs on Peacock and remains under the NBC banner.
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According to The Hollywood Reporter, limited non-competes are now part of the standard when reality TV stars are cast on shows.
Non compete clauses in their contracts prohibit the stars from other TV appearances for a year (Image: -)
It allows the networks or streamers to see if they want to sign talent onto other future shows and spinoffs, and also give them veto power over other brand or commercial deals the stars could try to pursue.
Because Dancing With the Stars airs on ABC, it is in direct competition with the stars of Love Island.
Such clauses are likely why ABC's own reality TV talent tends to find its way to the ballroom most often-with stars from sister shows on the network, Disney stars, and Hulu personalities often being cast.
The last five seasons of the show have featured five Bachelor Universe alums-Matt James, Gabby Windey, Charity Lawson, Joey Graziadei, and Jenn Tran. Those shows all air on ABC.
Such clauses allow for Hulu stars like Whitney Leavitt to be on DWTS (Image: Getty)
Similarly, Good Morning America weatherman Sam Champion competed on Season 31, while Disney Channel star Chandler Kinney appeared on Season 33.
Season 34 also saw a crossover with Hulu, as Secret Lives of Mormon Wives stars Jen Affleck and Whitney Leavitt both competed as well.
Season 35 of the show will feature its first Love Island alum, with UK star Maura Higgins taking a turn on the dance floor following her stint on Traitors.
The season will air this fall on ABC and Disney+.
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
