News Headline
ABC puts its dancing shoes back on
MUMBAI: Dancing with the Stars will return to the ABC next year as a mid-season series with all new episodes.
The series will continue to be produced by BBC Worldwide Productions, creators of the British hit show Strictly Come Dancing on which the ABC show was based.
ABC Entertainment president Stephen McPherson says, “Dancing With The Stars has played a pivotal role in a great summer season for ABC. The show is tremendous fun, perfect for our brand and a wonderful boost for our schedule. Having this show and Brat Camp both emerge this summer as assets for the future gives us great upside down the line.”
The series pairs celebrities with professional ballroom dancers. The couples train in such dances as the Viennese Waltz, the Rumba, the Cha-Cha-Cha and the Tango, and then compete in front of a studio audience – and a live national television audience. They are judged by a panel of experts, as well as by viewers at home, with one couple being eliminated each week.
BBC Entertainment Group head Wayne Garvie says, “We love it that the American public has gone crazy for Dancing with the Stars. For the second season, we guarantee even more tears, tantrums and tangos than ever before.”
ABC claims that during its premiere season, Dancing with the Stars emerged as the biggest summer hit of this year. The broad-appealing unscripted series ranked number one in its Wednesday 9 o’clock time period among Total Viewers, across each of the key adult demos (Adults 18-34, Adults 18-49 and Adults 25-54), as well as among Teens 12-17 and Kids 2-11.
On an average it towered over its closest competition in its hour (NBC) by 9.2 million viewers (16.8 million vs. 7.6 million) and by 143% in Adults 18-49 (5.1/15 vs. 2.1/6), and ranked as the No. 1 TV show on Wednesday night among viewers and young adults on all 6 of its telecasts.
Dancing with the Stars also qualified as the most-watched summer series on any network in the last five years – since the inaugural season of Survivor on CBS in Summer 2000.
NEW DELHI: Hamdard Laboratories gathered a cross-section of India’s achievers in New Delhi on Friday, handing out the Hakeem Abdul Hameed Excellence Awards to figures who have left their mark across healthcare, education, sport, public service and the arts.
The ceremony, attended by minister of state for defence Sanjay Seth and senior officials from the ministry of Ayush, celebrated individuals whose work blends professional success with a sense of public purpose. It was as much a roll call of achievement as it was a reminder that influence is not measured only in profits or podiums, but in people reached and lives improved.
Among the headline awardees was Alakh Pandey, founder and chief executive of PhysicsWallah, recognised for turning affordable digital learning into a mass movement. On the sporting front, Arjuna Awardee and kabaddi player Sakshi Puniya was honoured for her contribution to the game and for pushing women’s participation onto bigger stages.
The cultural spotlight fell on veteran lyricist and poet Santosh Anand, whose songs have echoed across generations of Hindi cinema. At 97, Anand accepted the honour with characteristic humility, reflecting on a life shaped by perseverance and hope.
Healthcare honours spanned both modern and traditional systems. Manoj N. Nesari was recognised for strengthening Ayurveda’s place in national and global health frameworks. Padma shri Mohammed Abdul Waheed was honoured for his research-backed work in Unani medicine, while padma shri Mohsin Wali received recognition for his long-standing contribution to patient-centred care.
Education and social development also featured prominently. Padma shri Zahir Ishaq Kazi was honoured for decades of work in education, while former Meghalaya superintendent of Police T. C. Chacko was recognised for public service. Goonj founder Anshu Gupta received an award for his dignity-centred rural development initiatives, and the Hunar Shakti Foundation was honoured for empowering women and young girls through skill development.
The Lifetime Achievement Award went to former IAS officer Shailaja Chandra for her long career in public healthcare and governance, particularly in the traditional systems under Ayush.
Speaking at the event, Hamdard chairman Abdul Majeed said the awards were a tribute to those who combine excellence with empathy. “These awardees reflect Hakeem Sahib’s belief that healthcare, education and public service must ultimately serve humanity,” he said.
Minister Seth struck a forward-looking note, saying India’s young population gives the country a unique opportunity to become a global destination for learning, health and wellness by 2047.
The ceremony also featured the trailer launch of Unani Ki Kahaani, an upcoming documentary starring actor Jim Sarbh, set to premiere on Discovery on 11 February.
Instituted in memory of Unani scholar and educationist Hakeem Abdul Hameed, the awards have grown into a national platform that celebrates those building a more inclusive and resilient India. For one evening at least, the spotlight was not just on success, but on service with substance.
