Emma Slater Addresses Rumors She's Leaving“ Dancing with the Stars”

Julia MooreTue, March 24, 2026 at 3:46 PM UTC

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Emma Slater on "Dancing with the Stars"Credit: Andrew Eccles/Disney -

Emma Slater has been a pro on Dancing with the Stars since 2013

On a March 24 episode of her latest partner Andy Richter's podcast, she addressed "ageism" in the industry and got candid about how long she plans to stay on the show

She also said after competing with Richter on season 34, she doesn't know "how I’m going to get another season like that"

Emma Slater is addressing her future on Dancing with the Stars after more than a decade on the show.

Slater, 37, joined DWTS in 2013 and has "had the most incredible career," she said on the March 24 episode of SiriusXM's Three Questions with Andy Richter podcast, where she spoke to her season 34 partner, Andy Richter, about her thoughts on leaving the show.

As Richter pointed out, "dance is a cruel business, in ageism terms," and Slater agreed. "Actually, someone came up to me last week and was like, 'Are the rumors true?' and I was like, 'What rumor?' They said, 'Are you retiring this year?' And I could see how a rumor like that would be starting, because they’re looking at me like, 'She’s the old girl.'"

Slater wants to "go through it as long as I can go for," but she does "worry" about whether it'll end up being her decision when she leaves.

"I would like it to be on my decision, I think. But I’ve decided that I’m going to expect to be there, and if and when they say I’m not invited anymore, I’ll conquer that when it happens," she said.

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Andy Richter and Emma Slater on "Dancing with the Stars" season 34Credit: Christopher Willard/Disney

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"I guess, in my mind, you put limitations on yourself saying, well, how many years do I have? I’m just gonna keep going. And then try to take out that restriction on myself until I don’t have the use of what they’re looking for, and then I’ll try to stick around in some other form," she continued. "The brand is doing so well, and I like to produce. So maybe I’ll be like, 'Make me a producer!' or something."

Richter, 59, also joked that he doesn't know where Slater has left to "go" after having him as a partner last season. "You’ve been to the mountain top. Granted, we didn’t win a mirrorball, but f--- that mirrorball, we did much better than that," he quipped.

"Oh, we certainly did, and that’s how I measure success, by the way," she agreed. "Getting to dance with you, I’m being serious, that to me — I don’t know where I’m going to go from that, I don’t know how I’m going to get another season like that."

Emma Slater and Andy Richter on "Dancing with the Stars" season 34Credit: Eric McCandless/Disney

Slater said her "secret" to success after 13 years on the show is how she treats her partners. "I will embrace them and make my entire world about bringing them forward and making them feel amazing, and that’s probably the lifeline saving me."

"As long as I feel authentic and comfortable, I want to go as long as possible," she said. "And then as soon as I feel like I’m going to be choked out, I’ll pull the ageism thing. 'This is what Hollywood does to women as they age!'"

on People

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Source: “AOL Entertainment”