“Dancing With the Stars” season 35 kicked off its two-night premiere last night, with the eight male celebrity contestants making their ballroom debut. However, in a shocking twist, one couple was sent home. Sadly, it was “The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives” star Conner Leavitt and his pro partner Adele Zaikman, who made her DWTS debut after winning “DWTS: The Next Pro.”
Fans were looking forward to Leavitt’s DWTS journey after his wife, Whitney Leavitt, competed last season and totally impressed viewers. However, it all came to an end after the couple received one of the lowest scores from the judges and not enough votes from viewers.
Whitney has been his biggest cheerleader since he was announced as a contestant, and in a new Instagram post following his elimination, shared how proud she was of him for taking a chance on the show.
Whitney Leavitt Praises Husband Conner After His Shocking DWTS Premiere Elimination
ABCWhitney Leavitt is rallying behind her husband Conner Leavitt after he was the first celebrity contestant to be eliminated on “Dancing With the Stars” season 35.
Taking to Instagram, Whitney shared several sweet photos with Conner, in which he was seen wearing his colorful DWTS costume and holding a large bouquet of roses. “The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives” star praised her husband for stepping into uncomfortable territory by taking on the dance competition show.
“Conner, I am so proud of you 🤍 I hope you never let this ending take away from what you just did. You stepped so far outside of your comfort zone, worked your [expletive] off, put yourself out there, and went for it. People can have their opinions, but I know you. They’ve only seen a fraction of what you’re capable of. And I can’t wait for them to find out!” Whitney shared.
She continued, “I hope this lit a fire in you! Keep saying yes. Keep putting yourself out there. Keep going after the things that scare you. [Expletive] the noise and go after whatever you want next baby! Sedona, Liam and Billy are so proud of their dad 🥹 I’m so proud and lucky to be your wife, and I hope you’re so [expletive] proud of yourself too! This is just the beginning, babe 🤍”
In the comment section, Conner received messages of love and support from fans and castmates from SLOMW. “So proud of him❤️❤️,” Jessi Draper wrote. “Our mirror ball winner!!!” Layla Taylor shared. “Wish the world got to see more of him! 🤍 forever a star in my eyes!! 🥹 Proud of you @leavitt.conner,” Demi Engemann wrote.
Whitney was also in the audience cheering on her husband, with the reality star also inviting SLOMW co-stars Engemann, Mikayla Matthews, and Mayci Neeley.
During DWTS’ premiere night, Conner and pro Adele Zaikman received one of the lowest scores from the judges, with a 12 out of 30. The couple danced a salsa to “Whoomp! There It Is,” by Tag Team.
Conner Admitted He Was ‘Upset’ After Being Eliminated
ABCBeing the first celebrity eliminated on DWTS is certainly a tough way to end the experience, with Conner telling Entertainment Tonight after the show that he was “upset.” However, he still shared how proud he was of himself for stepping outside of his comfort zone.
“I was upset. We felt like we were vulnerable. We left it out on the dance floor. Dancing’s hard. For anyone who doesn’t know, dancing’s hard. So to go out there, perform all out, and then get that kind of a disappointing result, it does, it’s sad,” he said.
“I could not be more thrilled to be part of such a wonderful cast, and have such a wonderful dance partner,” he added.
Conner also noted that he didn’t believe the DWTS voting website, which crashed earlier on in the episode, had anything to do with his elimination.
“I don’t think there was any unfairness involved; everyone deserved to be here, it’s just a bummer that we had to go first,” he said.
