The season 35 premiere of ‘Dancing With the Stars’ features male celebrities first, culminating in the elimination of Conner Leavitt.
The highly anticipated 35th season of Dancing With the Stars (DWTS) kicked off on September 15, 2026, with the male contestants taking center stage in a two-night premiere event. The announcement of this split format, with female celebrities performing on September 16, was confirmed by The Hollywood Reporter.
The premiere featured a lineup of eight notable male celebrities: Tyler Cameron from The Bachelorette, Paralympic gold medalist Ezra Frech, musician Taylor Hanson, Conner Leavitt, baseball player Jackson Olson, comedian Guillermo Rodriguez, Grey's Anatomy star Harry Shum Jr., and social media influencer Connor Wood. Each contestant performed to a No. 1 hit from the year of their birth, setting a competitive tone for the evening.
Conner Leavitt, who danced with partner Adele Zaikman, faced elimination, scoring the lowest of the night with only 12 out of 30 points, while Harry Shum Jr. led the scores with a total of 21 out of 30 points. The elimination process combines judges' scores and viewer votes, with the couple receiving the lowest combined total sent home.
In an unexpected twist, the premiere faced technical difficulties that hampered online voting. Host Julianne Hough informed viewers that, for the night, votes could only be submitted via text. Alfonso Ribeiro confirmed this, emphasizing the need for fan participation through text messaging in lieu of the usual website voting. This voting adjustment introduced an element of urgency for supporters of the competing celebrities.
Dancing With the Stars has cultivated a loyal following since its debut, solidifying itself as a blend of entertainment featuring reality stars, athletes, and actors. The split premiere strategy allows each couple the opportunity to highlight their talents, potentially boosting audience engagement as viewers rally behind their favorites.
As the male contestants, including top performers Tyler Cameron and Ezra Frech, prepare for subsequent challenges, attention turns to the female celebrities set to perform on September 16. The elimination process will be crucial throughout the season, influenced by the judges' scores and viewer votes.
The scores from the premiere night reflect the competitive spirit of the contestants:
As the season progresses, viewers eagerly await more exciting performances and the dynamics of voting that make Dancing With the Stars a captivating reality competition. Stay tuned for weekly recaps and score breakdowns to see how the competition unfolds.
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