Season 17 of So You Think You Can Dance debuted with a new attitude and a new judging panel. JoJo Siwa, who competed on Season 30 of Dancing with the Stars, joined Stephen “tWitch” Boss, who was a former competitor on SYTYCD. Matthew Morrison, who starred on Broadway, rounded out the new group of judges. But now the panel is down one judge because Matthew has already been fired.
On May 27, 2022, Matthew issued a statement about his exit. “Having the opportunity to be a judge on So You Think You Can Dance was an incredible honor for me. Therefore, it is my deepest regret to inform you that I will be leaving the show,” the Glee star said.
“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.” Matthew added, “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.”
But that wasn’t the whole story. A SYTYCD insider alleged that Matthew was let go because of “an inappropriate relationship” with a female dancer. “They didn’t have sex, but he reached out to her through flirty direct messages on social media,” the source claimed.
The contestant told producers about Matthew’s remarks because she felt uncomfortable. Fox launched an investigation and fired Matthew. Duh.
Matthew spoke out about his firing in an Instagram video. “It’s really unfortunate that I have to sit here and defend myself and my family against blatantly untrue statements made anonymously, but I have nothing to hide,” he stated. “So, in the interest of transparency, I will read to you the one message that I wrote to a dancer on the show.”
Matthew went on to read the alleged message from his phone. He did not show his phone, or any screenshots, to the camera. So, no real receipts. “Hey! It’s Matthew. If you don’t mind, would love to get your number and talk you through some things. The end,” Matthew remarked.
He added that he and the contestant “share a mutual respect” for the same choreographer. “I’ve known her [the choreographer] for over 20 years and was trying to help her get a job as a choreographer on the show,” Matthew explained.
“It’s devastating that we live in this world where gossip rules and people’s lives are being thrown around as clickbait.” The Broadway star added, “And I generally wish all the contestants and my fellow judges all the best.” Contacting a contestant while a judge is still inappropriate, not matter the intent.
E! News reported that Matthew’s wife, Renee Morrison, was defending her man amid all the dancing drama. On June 3, 2022, Renee posted the same video of Matthew giving his side of the story. “It’s been a wild ride… My husband has finally been given an opportunity to speak his truth. He has done so with such grace and integrity in a situation that is complex and incredibly complicated,” Renee wrote.
“Gossip and cruelty are poison that have penetrated the depths of our society and somehow have made people forget their true nature- Love & compassion,” she stated.
Then Renee added a quote from Jay Shettyhen. “Negativity is a trait, not someone’s identity. A person’s true nature can be obscured by clouds, but, like the sun it is always there. And clouds can overcome any of us.” Is there any accountability here for behaving in a supposedly inappropriate way while a SYTYCD judge?
Renee continued, “Perspective my people. Stop perpetuating hate and shame. Period. NO ONE DESERVES IT,” she commented.
RELATED: Matthew Morrison Fired From So You Think You Can Dance For “Inappropriate Relationship With Female Contestant”
She included another quote. “I’ll leave you with this… “Letting go gives us freedom, and freedom is the only condition for happiness. If, in our heart, we still cling to anything – anger, anxiety, or possessions – we cannot be free. ~Thich Nhat Hanh.”
Renee added, “To all those who have shined love and light in our lives through this… thank you.” She included a heart, sun, and praying hands emojis. “To all the rest- sending Love & Light.”
People reported that Matthew and Renee wed in Maui, Hawaii in 2014. They share a son and daughter.
There is no word on who will be replacing Matthew when the live rounds of SYTYCD start.
TELL US- WHAT DID YOU THINK OF RENEE’S POST? SHOULD FOX HAVE FIRED MATTHEW? ARE YOU GOING TO WATCH SYTYCD?
[Photo Credit: Jamie McCarthy/Getty Image]