Carrie Ann Inaba, Derek Hough, Kym Johnson, Bruno Tonioli

While the performances on “Dancing With the Stars” last night left everyone feeling emotional, the real talk of the night was the return of Kym Johnson to the “DWTS” ballroom. The beloved pro-turned-guest judge stepped back onto the dance floor for Dedication Night last night, charming fans with her signature warmth, expert critiques, and contagious enthusiasm.

Ten seasons after her last appearance as a competitor, Johnson proved she still has that mirrorball magic, and viewers are now begging producers to make her a permanent fixture at the judges’ table.

Dedication Night on ‘Dancing With the Stars’ Season 34

In anticipation of Dedication Night, ABC announced Johnson would be returning to the ballroom as a guest judge. She last competed on “Dancing With the Stars” back in 2017 when she was partnered with Mr. T for Season 24. The couple finished the season in 10th place.

Now here we are, 10 seasons later, and Johnson, who has won two Mirrorball Trophies, filled in as a guest judge alongside Derek Hough, Carrie Ann Inaba, and Bruno Tonioli.

You couldn’t help but notice how much knowledge Kym brought to the night. She was a pro for a reason. Her critiques were thoughtful, but said in a way that the star didn’t feel hurt or the audience would boo her, like they often do for the other judges. Kym was a breath of fresh air for the judges’ table.

‘DWTS’ Fans Call For Her Permanent Placement

Fans of “Dancing With the Stars” were also loving Kym’s critiques during her guest role on “DWTS” 2025. Some were even calling for her to take a permanent seat at the judges’ table.

On Reddit, one user wrote, “She was truly the best guest judge we’ve had in a while! Constructive criticism, but nicely worded, plus she knows what she’s talking about, because she’s in the pros’ shoes.”

Another fan wrote, “It’s sad how the guest judge was the best judge of the night and you have judges who’ve been on that panel for yearssssssss.” While someone else chimed in, “Amen I saw nothing but praise for my mother queen on social media.”

They also loved her tips and tricks she was giving along the way. One user wrote, “I loved how she made Darek get up and help her show the contestants exactly what she was talking about. I also appreciated the pen trick. It was an actual method that someone could apply to improve their dances.”

Over on X, another user agreed, “Kym is doing such an amazing job as a judge. She’s giving them critiques and giving them examples to visualize HOW to improve for future dances that might have similar technique. Let’s give her a permanent spot on this panel. #DWTS”

Other fans of the show pointed out how four judges were better. They said it kept the leaderboard rankings more spread out.

One person wrote, “It’s better with 4 judges when it comes to scores! I like how it keeps the rankings more spread out and bigger differences in totals. Less chance of so many ties.” Another person added, “I thought about that immediately, how it helps differentiate everyone more and adds a bit more a check and balance to the scores, preventing whack scores from having so much weight. Beyond making Kym a permanent judge, I sincerely hope they have a four judge panel in the future.”

The “Dancing With the Stars” judges and co-hosts agree. Carrie Ann Inaba wrote on Kym’s Instagram post, “You were brilliant tonight Kym. Truly Dazzling. It was so nice to have to back home again. 🫶🏼🫶🏼” Julianne Hough commented, “An actual angel 🙌❤️.”

So, would you want to see Kym Johnson as a permanent judge on “Dancing With the Stars” in the future?