Witney Carson reveals her ‘DWTS’ Season 35 partner and it's not who you think it is
‘Dancing With the Stars’ Season 35 is taking shape ahead of its September premiere. On Monday, August 17, reigning champion Witney Carson appeared on ‘Good Morning America’ to reveal her celebrity partner. The announcement also included another change for Carson, who confirmed she will return while expecting her third child. It is the first professional-celebrity pairing confirmed before the rest of the lineup is unveiled on September 2.
Carson will compete along with ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’ personality Guillermo Rodriguez. “Dude, I was so stoked,” she said on ‘GMA’. “I think he is so sweet. He’s so fun. That’s exactly what I need in this season of life that I’m in, just someone who’s fun, personable.” Carson joked that she hoped they would still connect after Rodriguez learned that she does not drink “and we won’t be able to do tequila shots.” She added, “But we can connect other ways. I’m really, I’m really excited."
Rodriguez is the fourth announced celebrity contestant, joining ‘Summer House’ star Ciara Miller, ‘The Traitors’ runner-up Maura Higgins, and Savannah Bananas player Jackson Olson. His participation was announced during a June episode of ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’ Carson enters the competition after winning Season 34 with Robert Irwin. It was her second Mirrorball victory following her Season 19 win with Alfonso Ribeiro.
During the same ‘GMA’ appearance, Carson revealed that she and her husband, Carson McAllister, are expecting their third child. The couple already has sons Leo, 5, and Jet, 3. Carson said she was “very excited” but “would be lying if I said it wasn’t very daunting.”
She told Michael Strahan, “It wasn’t on my bingo card to compete on 'Dancing with the Stars' and be four months pregnant, but I think that it’s a beautiful thing. I want to feel empowered. I want to see what my body can do. And hopefully Guillermo will be right there beside me, and we can work as a team. And, you know, being a mother is the greatest blessing that I could ever ask for. So I’m very blessed.”
After someone suggested that she cover her stomach with “fringe and rhinestones,” Carson said, “I was just thinking, I’m like, I don’t want to hide it. I am so proud to be a woman, to be creating life and growing this human, and to be able to do the show and compete and be able to grow this life is such a huge blessing.”
She added, “I’m so proud of it, and I’m gonna kick butt while doing it. Let’s go.” ‘Dancing With the Stars’ returns with a two-night Season 35 premiere on Tuesday, September 15, and Wednesday, September 16, on ABC and Disney+. Episodes will stream the following day on Hulu. The remaining celebrities and professional dancers will be announced on ‘Good Morning America’ on Wednesday, September 2.
