We demand a recount! While some Dancing With the Stars contestants are understandably eliminated for their two left feet, other entrants are sent home far too early.
The voting system got an overhaul for season 28, following the controversial victory of radio host Bobby Bones one season prior, but the changeup didn’t stop fan favorites from leaving the ballroom.
“One thing we are going to do, we’re going to introduce live voting throughout the season, which is something we haven’t done before,” executive producer Andrew Llinares told reporters in 2019. “You’ll see a show, so you might see the Disney show, and then you’ll see the result at the end of that show, based on what happened that night. So, we get the immediacy of the results.”
Additionally, he added a judges’ save to the competition, allowing the experts to choose who went home from the final two — something the judges weren’t thrilled about.
“I’m a little stressed out by it,” she told Entertainment Tonight following the rule change. “It’s hard at the end to choose who we want to stay. … We’ve had people in the past that were amazing that went home suddenly. That is what we are trying to avoid here, so even though I don’t like it [and] it makes me a little bit nauseous. It’s really important to do. And I’m happy we have the opportunity.”
Ahead of the season 28 finale, fans were emotionally spent when James Van Der Beek was eliminated after quickly becoming a fan favorite. Fellow contestant Ally Brooke, later opened up about her conversation with Van Der Beek following his exit.
“James was so wonderful. He’s like, ‘Girl, you shine and go enjoy this and go shine.’ So I took that with me, but you know I did work so hard to get here and it’s not been easy and I’m very, very thankful to be in the finale,” she exclusively told Us Weekly in November 2019. “I hoped I would be and the fact that I’m in the finale is unbelievable! It’s bittersweet because I’m going to miss everyone so much but at the same time, I’m taking every minute in now that I know that it’s coming to an end.”
The performer also discussed how she was “texting back and forth” with the Dawson’s Creek alum after his elimination.. “He’s just the sweetest. He’s such an encourager and an amazing human being. He’s just a remarkable man.”
The next season, Olympian Johnny Weir was heartbroken when he was sent home — and opened up about the upsetting result following the episode.
“It hurts a lot because it definitely feels like a popularity contest more so than a dance contest but that’s part of it,” Weir told Us at the time. “I knew what I was signing up for. I can say wholeheartedly that I would always prefer to be myself than be popular.”
Scroll down to see Dancing With the Stars’ most shocking eliminations.
We demand a recount! While some Dancing With the Stars contestants are understandably eliminated for their two left feet, other entrants are sent home far too early.
The voting system got an overhaul for season 28, following the controversial victory of radio host Bobby Bones one season prior, but the changeup didn’t stop fan favorites from leaving the ballroom.
“One thing we are going to do, we’re going to introduce live voting throughout the season, which is something we haven’t done before,” executive producer Andrew Llinares told reporters in 2019. “You’ll see a show, so you might see the Disney show, and then you’ll see the result at the end of that show, based on what happened that night. So, we get the immediacy of the results.”
Additionally, he added a judges’ save to the competition, allowing the experts to choose who went home from the final two — something the judges weren’t thrilled about.
“I’m a little stressed out by it,” she told Entertainment Tonight following the rule change. “It’s hard at the end to choose who we want to stay. … We’ve had people in the past that were amazing that went home suddenly. That is what we are trying to avoid here, so even though I don’t like it [and] it makes me a little bit nauseous. It’s really important to do. And I’m happy we have the opportunity.”
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Ahead of the season 28 finale, fans were emotionally spent when James Van Der Beek was eliminated after quickly becoming a fan favorite. Fellow contestant Ally Brooke, later opened up about her conversation with Van Der Beek following his exit.
“James was so wonderful. He’s like, ‘Girl, you shine and go enjoy this and go shine.’ So I took that with me, but you know I did work so hard to get here and it’s not been easy and I’m very, very thankful to be in the finale,” she exclusively told Us Weekly in November 2019. “I hoped I would be and the fact that I’m in the finale is unbelievable! It’s bittersweet because I’m going to miss everyone so much but at the same time, I’m taking every minute in now that I know that it’s coming to an end.”
The performer also discussed how she was “texting back and forth” with the Dawson’s Creek alum after his elimination.. “He’s just the sweetest. He’s such an encourager and an amazing human being. He’s just a remarkable man.”
The next season, Olympian Johnny Weir was heartbroken when he was sent home — and opened up about the upsetting result following the episode.
“It hurts a lot because it definitely feels like a popularity contest more so than a dance contest but that’s part of it,” Weir told Us at the time. “I knew what I was signing up for. I can say wholeheartedly that I would always prefer to be myself than be popular.”
Scroll down to see Dancing With the Stars’ most shocking eliminations.
Credit: Broadimage/Shutterstock
Sabrina Bryan (Season 5)
The Cheetah Girls star had the third-best average of season 5 but only came in seventh place. She returned for the All-Stars season five years later and again landed in seventh.
Credit: MediaPunch/Shutterstock
Shannen Doherty (Season 10)
The Beverly Hills 90210 alum was the first contestant cut from season 10, even though Buzz Aldrin had earned scores far worse than hers.
Credit: Brad Barket/Invision/AP/Shutterstock
Brandy Norwood (Season 11)
When the “Boy Is Mine” singer was eliminated, she had danced top-scoring routines four weeks in a row.
Credit: Charles Sykes/Invision/AP/Shutterstock
Maria Menounos (Season 14)
The TV personality just missed the cut for the season 14 finals, getting eliminated in week 9 even though her scores were better than those of the eventual finalists.
Credit: AFF-USA/Shutterstock
Elizabeth Berkley (Season 17)
Bill Engvall had earned the worst scores of the bunch for six weeks in a row by the time this Saved By the Bell alum got cut.
Credit: Mediapunch/Shutterstock
Heather Morris (Season 24)
Host Tom Bergeron told Entertainment Tonight that this Glee star’s elimination generated “probably the most vocally unhappy reaction we’ve gotten.” At the time, Morris had just earned the first perfect 40 of the season.
Credit: Ronald Wittek/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock
Simone Biles (Season 24)
The Olympic gymnast didn’t earn gold, silver or bronze on DWTS. She came in fourth place, even though she was the only contestant to earn a perfect 80 the week of her elimination.
Credit: Charles Sykes/Invision/AP/Shutterstock
Normani (Season 25)
The “Motivation” singer got the best scores of the season 24 finals but only came in third place. “You’re never really guaranteed,” she later told ET. “It was quite a shocker for me, as well.”
Credit: Nina Prommer/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock
Sasha Pieterse (Season 25)
Nick Lachey had earned the lowest scores two weeks in a row by the time this Pretty Little Liars actress got the boot.
Credit: MediaPunch/Shutterstock
Juan Pablo Di Pace (Season 27)
The Fuller House actor landed a perfect 60 for his two dances the week he was sent home, while eventual season 27 winner Bobby Bones earned the week’s worst scores.
Credit: MediaPunch/Shutterstock
James Van Der Beek (Season 28)
The Dawson’s Creek alum earned top scores for four weeks in a row during season 28 but got cut just before finals.
Credit: Courtesy of Olivia Jade Giannulli/Instagram
Olivia Jade Giannulli (Season 30)
One week after landing at the top of the leader board, the YouTube star and partner Val Chmerkovskiy were eliminated ahead of semifinals in November 2021.
