UPDATE 6/1/22: A source told People that Matthew Morrison was fired from the show due to “an inappropriate relationship with a female contestant.” Morrison allegedly “reached out to her through flirty direct messages on social media.” According to the source, the contestant “felt uncomfortable with his line of comments and went to producers.” Morrison and the contestant reportedly “never met up off-set.”
So You Think You Can Dance judge Matthew Morrison has officially left the show after filming four episodes. The former Glee star released a statement explaining his departure, which is apparently due to breaking production protocols.
Matthew Morrison Leaves So You Think You Can Dance
Morrison is among the new judges on this season of So You Think You Can Dance. Earlier this month he made his debut on the series alongside JoJo Siwa, as well as Stephen “tWitch” Boss. The former Glee star said that it was his “deepest regret” to announce that he’s leaving the show.
“After filming the audition rounds for the show and completing the selection of the 12 finalists, I did not follow competition production protocols, preventing me from being able to judge the competition fairly,” he explained. “I cannot apologize enough to all involved and I will be watching alongside you all on what I know will be one of the best seasons yet.”
It’s not clear exactly what protocols Morrison broke, but Us Weekly reports that it was a “minor infraction,” according to a source. The actor said judging on the show was “an incredible honor.” He will apparently only appear in four episodes this season.
SEE ALSO: ‘SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE’ RETURNS TO FOX, HERE’S WHAT TO EXPECT THIS SEASON
The Show Will Replace Morrison’s Spot at The Judging Panel
So You Think You Can Dance has aired two episodes of Season 17 so far, with a third airing this Wednesday. After Morrison’s episodes run out, he will reportedly be replaced by a new panelist, to be announced soon.
“We will soon announce a new judge to join JoJo Siwa and Stephen ‘tWitch’ Boss for the next wave of the competition starting on June 15th featuring the top finalists performing for America’s vote,” a FOX representative told Yahoo.
Fans are left to wonder who will join the judging panel now. The current season was originally supposed to air in 2020 before being delayed due to Covid-19. Could the show’s co-creator Nigel Lythgoe return to his seat at the desk? We’ll have to wait and see.
