DWTS’ Surprise Elimination Twist Revealed Before Season 35 Premiere
When Dancing With the Stars premieres across two nights on Sept. 15 and 16, the stakes will have never been higher. It was revealed on Hulu’s Get Real podcast that one female celebrity pairing and one male celebrity pairing will be eliminated during the episodes, which will see all the men compete one night and all the women on the other.
For pro Mark Ballas—partnered with Traitors’ Maura Higgins—he’s definitely feeling the pressure.
“I don't think I was even on the show when that happened,” he said during the Sept. 10 podcast episode. “It's not an even playing field, right? It's like the cast is split in half and someone's going. It's kind of like boys over there, girls over there, one of you is going from each group, right?”
He added with a grimace, “So that’s—that’s a little different.”
And while this season’s celebrity cast features some seasoned dancers—such as Jenna Dewan and Harry Shum Jr.—Maura would not place herself in that category, despite her appearance on Dancing on Ice in 2020. (She was eliminated in week 7 of the British competition series.)
“For me, it wasn't dancing because, I never skated,” she explained. “So, that was the hard part for me. It was just staying up on the ice.”
Plus, she wasn’t able to dedicate herself in the same way she plans to for DWTS.
Disney/Matt Sayles
“It was like at a weird time in my life,” she added, “because I had just come off my first ever reality show, Love Island, and I had like a million other things I was doing along with that show, right? So, I couldn't really put my focus in it.”
As for those who are coming into this season with a, shall we say, leg up on the competition, Mark doesn’t think anyone should be too critical of their casting.
“This is not a legitimate dance competition—it's an entertainment show on television for families, right?” he said. “I also think that even though there is dancing on the show and you want to root, you want to see great dancing, it's also like about experience.”
“So, I feel like there's something for every fan,” he added. “Some fans want to see banger dances. Some fans want to see someone from ground zero make it. Some people want to see like someone with no experience improve every week. Some people with no experience won't improve every week, but you fall in love with the personality, right?”
He also cited recent winners Joey Graziadei and Robert Irwin who came in with zero experience, and still landed the famed Mirrorball Trophy.
“Just because someone danced in high school or they danced for an artist or something,” he continued, “that doesn't mean they can't take this on and improve every single week.”
As for a closer look at the celebrity-pro pairings looking to put their best foot forward in the ballroom this season, read on.
Disney/Andrew Eccles
Julia Stiles & Ezra Sosa
You won't hate this news—the 10 Things I Hate About You star will be saving the last dance for her pro partner.
Disney/Andrew Eccles
Giada De Laurentiis & Alan Bersten
Cha-cha-chopping away... The celebrity chef will be turning up the heat this season.
Disney/Andrew Eccles
Harry Shum Jr. & Jenna Johnson
What did you miss on Glee? The actor taking his musical talents to the dance floor.
Disney/Andrew Eccles
Taylor Hanson & Britt Stewart
The former '90s teen heartthrob will hope to MMMBop his way to the top of the leaderboard on season 35.
Disney/Andrew Eccles
Tatyana Ali & Jan Ravnik
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air actress will be bringing her fresh moves to the dance floor.
Disney/Andrew Eccles
Jenna Dewan & Val Chmerkovskiy
Twenty years after starring in Step Up, the dancer is stepping up to the challenge.
Disney/Andrew Eccles
Amber Glenn & Pasha Pashkov
The 2026 Olympic figure skater will take her skills from the ice to the ballroom.
Disney/Andrew Eccles
Ezra Frech & Daniella Karagach
The Team USA Paralympic track and field athlete will show off his athleticism on DWTS.
Disney/Andrew Eccles
Sarah Jane Nader & Hailey Bills
After sister Brooks Nader competed on season 33, the Love Thy Nader star is trying her hand.
Disney/Andrew Eccles
Connor Wood & Rylee Arnold
The comedian, also known as Fibula on social media, is ready to earn more applause on DWTS.
Disney/Andrew Eccles
Conner Leavitt & Adele Zaikman
The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives star is following in the footsteps of wife Whitney Leavitt—who competed on season 34.
Disney/Andrew Eccles
Tyler Cameron & Sharna Burgess
The Bachelor Nation star is trading in roses for rumbas.
Disney/Andrew Eccles
Jackson Olson & Emma Slater
The Savannah Bananas baseball player is stepping up to the plate, bringing his dance moves from the diamond to the ballroom.
Disney/Andrew Eccles
Guillermo Rodriguez & Witney Carson
The Jimmy Kimmel Live! star is ready to learn some new moves.
Disney/Andrew Eccles
Ciara Miller & Brandon Armstrong
The Summer House star is prepping for her turn in the ballrom.
"Looks are not indicative of being in shape," Ciara exclusively told E! News in June. "I do huff and puff going up the stairs, so I gotta get back into the gym and work on my stamina."
Disney/Andrew Eccles
Maura Higgins & Mark Ballas
The Love Island UK alum is hoping her love for DWTS doesn't betray her as she manifested this experience.
"I have a vision board and I redo it every year," she told E! News in May. "This year is the first year that I stayed at home by myself on New Year's Eve. I did not go out at all. I made myself a bowl of pasta and a glass of red wine and I redid my vision board for the year. Dancing With the Stars was already on it from the year before. However, I added five more Dancing With the Stars on the board."
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