Leavitt and professional partner Adele Zaikman became the first couple to leave Season 35 after the show’s online voting system failed during the live broadcast.
Conner Leavitt and professional dancer Adele Zaikman were eliminated from Dancing With the Stars during the opening night of Season 35, ending their competition after just one performance.
Leavitt, known for appearing on The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives, and Zaikman performed a salsa to Tag Team’s “Whoomp! (There It Is).” The routine received a combined score of 12 out of 30 from judges Carrie Ann Inaba, Derek Hough and Bruno Tonioli.
They were later placed among the couples at risk of elimination alongside Guillermo Rodriguez and Witney Carson, as well as Connor Wood and Rylee Arnold. Leavitt and Zaikman ultimately received the fewest support under the show’s voting process and were sent home.
The elimination came during a premiere affected by technical difficulties. The program’s online voting platform stopped working during the live episode, prompting co-host Julianne Hough to direct viewers toward text voting. Co-host Alfonso Ribeiro later announced that online votes would not be counted for that night, leaving text messages as the eligible voting method.
After the result, Leavitt expressed appreciation for the experience and praised Zaikman’s dancing ability. Zaikman also described the opportunity as a significant achievement and thanked Leavitt for their time together in the competition.
Although Rodriguez and Carson received the lowest score from the judges, with 10 points out of 30, they advanced to the next round. Harry Shum Jr. and Jenna Johnson led the night’s leaderboard with 21 points for their cha cha, while Paralympic gold medalist Ezra Frech and Daniella Karagach followed with 20.
The two-night premiere continues on Wednesday, September 16, with the female celebrities and their professional partners taking the stage. One additional couple is scheduled to be eliminated at the end of that episode. After the premiere, the series is set to continue on Tuesdays at 8 p.m. Eastern Time on ABC and Disney+, with episodes becoming available on Hulu the following day.
KEY FACTS:
● Conner Leavitt and Adele Zaikman were the first couple eliminated from Season 35.
● Their salsa performance earned 12 out of 30 from the judges.
● A failure in the online voting system meant that only text votes counted during the first live episode.
SOURCES:
● Yahoo Entertainment — Who left ‘Dancing With the Stars’ last night?
● Democrat and Chronicle — How to watch night two of the Season 35 premiere
● Page Six — Conner Leavitt sent home in premiere-night elimination
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