DWTS Season 35 Premiere: Leavitt Eliminated After Voting Glitch

Key points

• Conner Leavitt and pro Adele Zaikman were the first couple eliminated, scoring 12/30.
• Harry Shum Jr. and Jenna Johnson achieved the night's highest score of 21/30.
• Guillermo Rodriguez and Witney Carson received the lowest score of 10/30.
• A website voting outage occurred mid-show, requiring the production to rely solely on text votes.
• The premiere split the 16 contestants by gender, with men competing on Tuesday and women on Wednesday.

Background

Season 35 introduced a new format featuring a two-night premiere with separate eliminations for men and women. The season follows the previous year's success and includes a mix of reality stars, athletes, and actors. The show is simulcast on ABC and Disney+, with next-day streaming on Hulu.

How outlets are covering it

Deadline and The Hollywood Reporter both confirmed the elimination of Conner Leavitt and the voting technical difficulties. Deadline emphasized the specific text-voting complication caused by two contestants sharing the name 'Connor,' while The Hollywood Reporter noted a judge mistakenly calling Tyler Cameron 'Dylan.' Both outlets agreed on the final scores, with Harry Shum Jr. topping the leaderboard and Guillermo Rodriguez finishing last. Yahoo provided minimal additional detail, focusing primarily on the elimination outcome.

Why it matters

The technical voting issues and the immediate elimination of a high-profile reality star set the tone for a competitive season. The gender-split premiere format tests audience engagement and voting mechanics, while the presence of multiple reality stars and athletes indicates a shift in the show's casting strategy.

What to watch

The female celebrities will compete on Wednesday, September 16, with another elimination to follow. The DWTS After Party will air on the same night, hosted by Season 34 winner Robert Irwin. Viewers can watch the second night on ABC and Disney+, with streaming available on Hulu the following day.