According to host Julianne Hough and co-host Alfonso Ribeiro, technical difficulties disrupted website voting on ABC’s platform during Tuesday’s broadcast, forcing the production to rely exclusively on text-in votes before Conner Leavitt became the first contestant eliminated from the competition.
Split Premiere Format and Voting Disruptions
The 35th season kicked off with a format dividing the 16 competing couples across two nights to ensure each pair received adequate broadcast time, following what ABC described as an Emmy-nominated 34th season. According to host Julianne Hough, voting on the official network website experienced failures during the live broadcast on Tuesday. Co-host Alfonso Ribeiro subsequently announced that viewers could only submit votes via text message for the remainder of the premiere. At the conclusion of the evening, Conner Leavitt and his professional partner Adele Zaikman—the winner of Dancing With the Stars: The Next Pro—were eliminated after receiving the lowest combined score and vote total, landing at 12 out of 30.
Night One Scores and Leaderboard Standings
Actor Harry Shum Jr. and partner Jenna Johnson secured the highest score of the Tuesday premiere with a 21 out of 30, earning three sevens from the judges. According to Shum, preparing for the routine involved extensive mirror practice with weights on his wrists to build natural rhythm. Paralympic gold medalist Ezra Frech and Daniella Karagach finished closely behind with a 20 out of 30, capturing the first two sevens of the night. During the critiques, judge Derek Hough mistakenly addressed reality contestant Tyler Cameron as Dylan. Cameron and partner Sharna Burgess ultimately scored a 17 out of 30.
Pro Tip: Navigating Live Voting Windows
Live voting for Dancing With the Stars takes place exclusively during the East Coast airing of each episode and concludes shortly after the final performance. PT and roughly 6:45 p.m.
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Wednesday Night Lineup and Broadcast Details
The second night of the premiere features the remaining eight female celebrities taking to the ballroom floor. Episodes air at 8 p.m.
Full Tuesday Night Leaderboard
- Harry Shum Jr. and Jenna Johnson: 21/30
- Ezra Frech and Daniella Karagach: 20/30
- Tyler Cameron and Sharna Burgess: 17/30
- Connor Wood and Rylee Arnold: 16/30
- Taylor Hanson and Britt Stewart: 16/30
- Jackson Olson and Emma Slater: 15/30
- Conner Leavitt and Adele Zaikman: 12/30 (Eliminated)
- Guillermo Rodriguez and Witney Carson: 10/30
Frequently Asked Questions
Who was eliminated on the Dancing With the Stars season 35 premiere?
Conner Leavitt, partnered with Adele Zaikman, was eliminated at the end of the Tuesday night premiere.
Why were website votes not accepted during the premiere?
Host Julianne Hough and co-host Alfonso Ribeiro announced during the live broadcast that voting on ABC’s website was down, forcing the show to accept votes exclusively via text message.
Where can I watch Dancing With the Stars season 35?
Episodes air Tuesdays and Wednesdays at 8 p.m. on ABC and Disney+, and stream the following day on Hulu.
Join the Conversation
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