Dancing With the Stars has received its first Emmy nomination in the reality competition series category in a decade, marking a notable return to prominence for the long-running ABC programme. It was last recognised in this category in 2016, and this year joins fellow nominees RuPaul's Drag Race, Survivor, Top Chef and The Traitors. The nod matters because it caps a resurgent 34th season that also delivered the show's highest ratings in ten years.

Showrunner Conrad Green attributed the recognition to the programme's distinctive live weekly format, which runs for 11 weeks at a stretch, arguing that few shows are produced at that level so consistently. Judge Derek Hough publicly campaigned for the show to win outright. The series is now preparing for its first spin-off, The Next Pro, due in July, with season 35 arriving in the autumn featuring a cast that includes Ciara Miller, Maura Higgins, Jackson Olson and Guillermo Rodriguez. The 78th Emmy Awards will be broadcast live on 14 September on NBC and Peacock, hosted by Mariska Hargitay.