Fox Cancels ‘So You Think You Can Dance’ and ‘The Snake’: What This Means for Fans
Fox has renewed a significant portion of its unscripted programming, but two notable shows will not return this year.
The network has decided to bench So You Think You Can Dance and the Jim Jeffries-hosted The Snake.
The cancellations come as no surprise; The Snake struggled in the ratings, and SYTYCD judge Nigel Lythgoe has faced controversy following a sexual assault and gender violence lawsuit from American Idol’s Paula Abdul since the last season aired.
So You Think You Can Dance premiered in 2005 and maintained a regular airing schedule until Season 16 in summer 2019. The series made a return for Season 17 in 2022, featuring judges Stephen ‘Twitch’ Boss, JoJo Siwa, and Leah Remini, and for Season 18 in spring 2024, with Siwa and the Dancing with the Stars duo of Allison Holker and Maksim Chmerkovski as judges. Cat Deeley hosted the series throughout its run.
Michael Thorn, President of the Fox Television Network, discussed the fate of So You Think You Can Dance during a pre-Upfronts press call, stating, “It’s obviously a really important show in the history of Fox, but right now there’s no plans to order another season. We’ve had conversations about it, but nothing formal.”
Lythgoe’s lawsuit was settled in December 2024.
So You Think You Can Dance was produced by Sony Pictures Television’s 19 Entertainment and Dick Clark Productions. The series was executive produced by Daniel Martin, who also served as showrunner, alongside co-creator Nigel Lythgoe, Barry Adelman, Eli Holzman, and Aaron Saidman.
In contrast, The Snake, hosted by Australian comedian Jeffries, lasted just one season after premiering in June 2025. This social experiment series featured 15 participants from diverse professions competing to manipulate their way to becoming the week’s “snake,” deciding which contestants remained in the game through a series of challenges.
The show was created by Jersey Shore producer SallyAnn Salsano and her company 495 Productions. Salsano served as showrunner and executive producer alongside Frank Miccolis and Kim Green.
