“Dancing With The Stars” contestants Jen Affleck and Whitney Leavitt address the rift in their friendship during the highly anticipated third season of “Secret Lives of Mormon Wives.”
‘DWTS’ Recruits From #MomTok
In a video shared by the official “Secret Lives” Instagram, Jen discusses how being on “DWTS” has always been a dream of hers.
“I’ve taken time away from MomTok to focus on my mental health,” Jen began explaining to a producer in one of her confessionals at the start of the video.
In the next clip, Taylor Frankie Paul is shown announcing to the group, “‘Dancing With The Stars’ wants to choose one of us,” which caused Jen to squeal in excitement.
“No way!” she exclaimed.
“‘Dancing With The Stars’ is literally one of my dreams,” Jen continued during a confessional. “I am in a way better place, so bring it on.”
What Happened to Jen & Whitney’s Close Friendship?
As seen on previous seasons of “Mormon Wives,” Jen and Whitney used to be very close, but season 3 picked up after a rift had already formed between the two castmates that neither could quite understand.
“I’m really conflicted with my relationship with Whitney because a couple of months ago, she really was the only person that was there for me during the lowest point of my life, but the minute I left MomTok, I never heard from her,” Jen admitted in a confessional. “And then she became best friends with Demi, the one person that was bullying me during that time.”
Whitney denied the claim from some members of the group that she willingly chose to leave MomTok. In a conversation she had with Jen, Whitney claimed she was being forced out.
“I feel like you’re just gone…I did feel like it was transactional on your end,” Jen said.
“Wow, that is like…I don’t even know how to relate to that,” Whitney replied.
“It’s only what’s convenient for you,” Jen said. “You’re there for me if it’s convenient for you, to get back into MomTok.”
This offended Whitney. “I’m so done with it. It’s so delusional,” she said.
“If you were really there for me and you weren’t just using me to get back into MomTok, why would you then become friends with Demi, the one person that was bullying me during that time?” asked Jen.
Whitney explained that she didn’t understand what Demi did, and Jen pointed to Demi’s TikToks about her and her marriage while “trying to get the whole group to turn against me.”
“I’m just saying I expected more from you,” Jen said, though Whitney maintained that she only became close to Demi after Jen “ghosted” her.
“I definitely think Whitney is only here for herself and her own opportunities, and that our friendships within the group were actually never real or genuine to her,” Jen admitted in another confessional.
“This is exactly why I didn’t want to come back,” Whitney referred back to her argument with Jen. “But there’s this amazing opportunity, ‘Dancing With The Stars,’ and it’s something that I want. So I’m going to go after it, and there’s no shame.”
Jen & Whitney Remained Cordial for ‘DWTS’
In an exclusive interview with E! News, Jen explained that her and Whitney tried to keep their issues out of the ballroom, but “there is no relationship,” between them.
“Unfortunately, some things happened, so we’ve just taken a step back,” Jen said.
“Because being on ‘Dancing With the Stars’ was a dream of both of ours, we—at least for me—just wanted to make that experience only positive and leave the drama for our other show,” Jen continued. “Unfortunately, there [were] moments where it was hard [for it to not] bleed into ‘Dancing With the Stars.'”
She concluded, “But I’m happy for her and it’s a dream for her to be there, too. And honestly, even though we’re not on good terms, I do hope she makes it far. That’s all I have to say.”
