Dancing with the Stars Shocker: Fan-Favorite Celebrity Sent Home in Jaw-Dropping Elimination Tonight

Glitter has barely settled in the ballroom, yet Dancing with the Stars Season 35 is already shaping up to be the franchise’s most star-studded and unpredictable ride. The new cycle launched with a live two-night premiere on September 15 and 16, bringing the ABC staple back to both ABC and Disney+ in its 20th-anniversary year. Celebrities and pro pairings that are driving early buzz include: Jenna Dewan & Val Chmerkovskiy, Julia Stiles & Ezra Sosa, Taylor Hanson & Britt Stewart, Harry Shum Jr. & Jenna Johnson, Maura Higgins & Mark Ballas, and Guinness-smashing wildlife host Robert Irwin returning as defending champ Witney Carson’s rehearsal partner for opening night. Season 34 breakout Witney is back—dancing while pregnant—this time paired with Jimmy Kimmel sidekick Guillermo Rodriguez. New pro winner Adele Zaikman also joins the main cast alongside Conner Leavitt. Producers have locked in eight crowd-pleasing theme nights designed to keep social media feeds humming: • Week 3 – Viral Hits Night • Week 4 – Mariah Carey Night • Week 5 – Yacht Rock Night (theme still TBA on the broadcast) • Week 6 – Dedication Night • Week 7 – Horror Movie Night (just in time for Halloween) • Week 8 – Disney Night • Week 9 – Grammy Night • Week 10 – Finale Freestyle Showdown. Alfonso Ribeiro and Julianne Hough return to host, while judges Carrie Ann Inaba, Derek Hough and Bruno Tonioli promise sharper-than-ever scores—after a premiere-night online voting glitch forced producers to toss out digital ballots and rely solely on live text votes, setting Twitter ablaze. Fans can stream new episodes Tuesdays on Disney+ or watch live on ABC; voting opens as soon as the east-coast show begins, so have your ABC/Disney+ login, text codes and the official DWTS app ready to keep favorite couples safe. With marquee names, nostalgia-baiting themes and the promise of headline-making eliminations each week, DWTS Season 35 is primed to dominate entertainment search results—and your Tuesday night timeline—all autumn long.