"Dancing with the Stars" adds Savannah Bananas’ Jackson Olson to Season 35 Lineup

Viral Savannah Bananas baseball star joins growing Season 35 cast.
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The ballroom is about to get a little more bananas! As anticipation builds for the next season of Dancing with the Stars, the show has added a contestant who’s already mastered entertaining a crowd, just not on a dance floor… yet.

What’s Happening:

  • Jackson Olson, a second baseman for the wildly popular Savannah Bananas, is officially joining Season 35 of the hit competition series, according to Deadline. 
  • The announcement came during Disney’s upfront presentation, adding another intriguing name to a lineup that’s already generating buzz.
  • Olson joins previously announced contestants Maura Higgins and Ciara Miller, signaling a season that continues the show’s trend of blending reality TV stars, athletes, and digital personalities. 
  • The full cast and their professional dance partners will be revealed September 2 on Good Morning America.
  • While Olson may be best known for his baseball skills, his appeal goes far beyond the field. As a content creator, he’s built a following through storytelling that mixes humor and heart into everyday life from relationships and family to the quirks of ballpark culture. 
  • His team, the Savannah Bananas, are no strangers to viral fame either. Known for their high-energy, entertainment-first approach to baseball, the Bananas have redefined what a live sports experience can look like. 
  • Season 35 arrives on the heels of a major resurgence for Dancing with the Stars. Last season delivered the show’s highest-rated finale in nearly a decade, fueled in part by a surge of younger viewers and unprecedented fan engagement. 
  • The finale alone generated 72 million votes, with nearly half a billion votes cast across the entire season, numbers that emphasize just how culturally relevant the series remains.
  • When it returns this fall, the show will once again simulcast live on ABC and Disney+, with next-day streaming available on Hulu. 
  • Produced by BBC Studios, the long-running series continues to evolve while holding onto the elements that made it a phenomenon: live performances, audience voting, and the unpredictable magic of watching celebrities step outside their comfort zones.
  • For Jackson Olson, that leap is about to begin. Trading cleats for ballroom shoes, he’ll have to prove he can keep up not just with choreography, but with the intensity and precision that Dancing with the Stars demands.

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