#So You Think You Can Dance: Season 18 Judge Announced to Replace Nigel Lithgoe on FOX Series

©2022 Fox Media LLC. CR: Adam Rose/FOX

So You Think You Can Dance has its replacement for Nigel Lythgoe. JoJo Siwa is returning to the dancing competition series after his exit.

Siwa last appeared on season 17 of the FOX series. Lythgoe was forced to depart the series earlier this month after two recent lawsuits accused him of sexual assault. Siwa joins Allison Holker and pro dancer Maksim Chmerkovskiy on the judging panel, with Cat Deeley returning as host.

FOX revealed more about the upcoming season in a press release.

“Dancer, singer and digital sensation JoJo Siwa will return to the judging panel of the Emmy Award-winning dance competition series So You Think You Can Dance, alongside So You Think You Can Dance All-Star and Emmy-nominated choreographer Allison Holker and Dancing with the Stars alum choreographer and pro dancer Maksim Chmerkovskiy. Presenter and author Cat Deeley continues to host the dance competition series, which makes its 18th season debut on Monday, March 4 (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT) on FOX and next-day Hulu.

Season 18 will infuse the long-running hit with a new format reflecting the authentic experience of building a successful career in dance, as so many So You Think You Can Dance alums have. Each week, contestants will compete in new, intense dance challenges that will give them a real taste of the career, from performing in a music video or a football halftime show to going toe-to-toe on stage with a Broadway performer. In the end, it will be up to the judges to decide their fate. Eliminations will take place weekly, with the Top 3 finalists competing in the season’s spectacular finale, but only one will win the $100,000 grand prize and the highly coveted title of So You Think You Can Dance champion.

This season will also debut new storytelling elements to further capture the authentic ups and downs experienced by professional dancers. For the first time ever, in addition to the big spectacle dance numbers that So You Think You Can Dance has long been famous for, viewers will get a documentary-style inside look at the contestants’ dynamics, following them throughout the competition as they go through their personal and competitive journeys, including the daily struggles, new relationships, personality clashes and more.

Over the course of its 17 seasons, So You Think You Can Dance has received 72 Emmy Award nominations and garnered 17 Emmy Award wins, including Outstanding Choreography and Outstanding Costumes, as well as awards in Outstanding Lighting Design.

So You Think You Can Dance is from 19 Entertainment (a part of Sony Pictures Television) and Dick Clark Productions. The series is executive produced by Daniel Martin who also serves as showrunner and Barry Adelman, Eli Holzman and Aaron Saidman. Cat Deeley also serves as producer.”

So You Think You Can Dance returns to FOX on March 4th.

What do you think? Are you a fan of this FOX series? Do you plan to watch the new season?