Summer House star Ciara Miller was one of the first two celebrities announced as part of season 35 of DWTS. Her casting was announced at Hulu‘s Get Real House 2026, amid quite the busy time for the reality star who has been caught in the middle of Bravo’s latest scandal that stemmed from Amanda Batula and West Wilson’s relationship.
After a month of rumors and denying that their relationship had turned more than platonic, Batula and Wilson put out a joint statement in late March confirming their connection, sending the Bravosphere into shockwaves, specifically because Miller used to date Wilson, and she was also very close friends with Batula.
Katz told THR that tapping Miller to compete on DWTS “was a really of the moment” choice, and that she previously knew the reality star because she also cast her on season three of Traitors.
“I already knew Ciara. She was on Traitors, and she’s wonderful. She’s stunning, she’s gorgeous; she’s all these things,” Katz said. “And then the stuff that happened to her, it was a really of the moment thing that we all felt like it was the right time. We really wanted her on the show, but it was also the right time to announce her.”
The controversy has been compared to that of Vanderpump Rules‘ Scandoval, which encompassed Tom Sandoval having an affair with Rachel Leviss, his co-star and friend to his longtime girlfriend Ariana Madix. While the situations are different, Madix’s professional career hit a hot streak following the scandal (that hasn’t slowed down), which Miller herself is somewhat mirroring.
Madix went on to compete on DWTS and was subsequently named the host of Love Island USA following the Bravo scandal; Miller follows in her footsteps by now joining the cast of season 35, and she was also recently named the co-host of Love Island USA‘s Aftersun.
Before the Summer House star makes her way to the ballroom this fall, she has a jam-packed summer, which will include co-hosting Aftersun and seemingly returning to film season 11 of the Bravo series.
