‘DWTS’ Season 34 pays touching tribute to Aaron Carter on anniversary show: ‘He was an incredible dancer’
ABC's 'Dancing with the Stars' Season 34's 20th party special episode not only entertained fans with stellar performances but also paid moving tribute to the former contestants who passed away, including Aaron Carter. The singer participated in the dance show in season 9 and grabbed fifth place, earning love and appreciation from both fans and judges. Tragically, Carter passed away in 2022. Honoring his enduring legacy, the dance show paid a heartfelt tribute to the former contestant, making for a tear-jerking 'DWTS' moment.
The tribute, aired on Tuesday, November 11, 2025, featured a special routine performed by the current season's contestants alongside Ezra Sosa and Rylee Arnold. During the emotional segment, the show honored several late former contestants by displaying their photos, including Jerry Springer, Cloris Leachman, Carter, Shannen Doherty, Florence Henderson, Kirstie Alley, Jacoby Jones, Valerie Harper, Suzanne Somers, Mary Wilson, and Anne Heche, as per Prime Timer.
The tribute concluded with Len Goodman's photo appearing last, symbolising his legacy as the show's first head judge. The silent, wordless performance ended somberly, after which the show quietly resumed the competition. Notably, Carter's sister, Angel Carter Conrad, had also talked about the moment she believed could have helped her brother, turn his life around and that was his time on 'Dancing with the Stars.' Recalling his participation, Angel shared on Paramount+'s documentary 'The Carters: Hurts to Love You,' saying, "When Aaron joined Dancing with the Stars in 2009, we were all so excited for him. He was excited, and I knew that he was going to be amazing because he was an incredible dancer."
Angel adds that the family saw it as a potential turning point for him, saying, "We all looked at it as this opportunity for Aaron to hopefully change his life and do something better."
In the documentary, Melissa Joan Hart also talked about reuniting with Carter during the same season of 'DWTS,' having previously worked with both him and his brother Nick Carter, according to People. She recalls her fond memories of Carter as a child actor on 'Sabrina the Teenage Witch,' saying, "To see him on the set of Sabrina as this little boy who was goofy and silly and loving life and loved hamming it up for the camera and then to see him on DWTS, and now he's older, and you can see he's in his head..."
Her words capture both nostalgia and concern for the young performer she once knew. Reportedly, Carter passed away on November 5, 2022, at 34, from a drug-related accidental drowning. His sister Bobbie Jean died in December 2023, aged 41, due to fentanyl and methamphetamine intoxication, and they were both preceded by their sister Leslie, who died in January 2012, at 25, from an apparent overdose.
