Your Week-By Week Elimination Guide to 'Dancing With the Stars'
Your Week-By Week Elimination Guide to 'Dancing With the Stars'
After some surprising contestants and a last-minute cast switch up, season 28 of Dancing With the Stars is well underway. The stars are breaking in their dancing shoes and the pros are carefully planning new choreography for each week of the competition. Despite how much each of the couples practice, how stunning their costumes are, or how fun the routine is, the nature of the ballroom competition means that someone is going to be sent home each week.
But eliminations are a little different this season. Just as we’ve seen in past seasons, the viewer’s votes are plugged into an algorithm that combines with the judges scores to determine the bottom two couples. But now, the judges have the power to save one of the bottom two couples, ultimately letting them decide which couple goes home that week. This seriously major change up comes after years of complaints that the show had become a popularity contest.
Check back here each week to see just who got sent home on Dancing With the Stars.
Week 1: Mary Wilson
The Supremes singer and her partner Brandon Armstrong were sent home during the first elimination of the season. After being put in the bottom two with former NFL player Ray Lewis and his partner Cheryl Burke, the judges voted to save Lewis and sent Wilson, 75, packing.
During her time on the show, Wilson performed a foxtrot which received a score of 17 out of 30, and a cha cha which earned her 15 out of 30.
Week 2: Ray Lewis
The former NFL player and his partner Cheryl Burke were forced to withdraw from the competition after Lewis tore three tendons in his foot. Lewis' doctor said if he continued dancing, he's risk rupturing the tendons.
Because Lewis withdrew from the competition, the bottom two couples of the night — former NBA player Lamar Odom and Peta Murgatroyd, and comedian Kel Mitchell Witney Carson — were saved from elimination.
Week 3: Lamar Odom
The NBA player and his partner Peta Murgatroyd were the third couple eliminated from DWTS season 28. Throughout his time on the show, Odom said he struggled to remember the choreography due to previous brain trauma. Although judges were sympathetic to his situation, it did not save him in the end.
Week 6: Sailor Brinkley-Cook
Following a week of no eliminations, the young model, who filled in for her mother, Christie Brinkley, after she broke her wrist during rehearsals, was shockingly sent home despite a high-scoring performance. During her time on the show, Sailor brought a few memorable performances, including a Mama Mia-inspired Tango.
Week 7: Karamo Brown
After getting his highest score of the season, Queer Eye star Karamo Brown was sent home in a painful elimination. Brown and his partner Jenna Johnson found themselves in the bottom two against Kate Flannery and Pasha Pashkov. Before choosing to save Flannery and Pashkov, judge Len Goodman said "neither couple deserves to be in this position, but it is what it is."
Week 8: Kate Flannery
In another disappointing elimination, Kate Flannery was sent home after being put in the bottom two with Alley Brooke, who had nabbed a perfect score earlier in the night. The judges once again said that neither couple should have to go home, referencing the fact that low-scorer Sean Spicer was safe from elimination.
Week 9: Sean Sicer
After weeks of low scores, former White House press secretary Sean Spicer was sent home after being put in the bottom two with Lauren Alaina. Despite being critical of Spicer each week, the judges praised Spicer for his efforts throughout the season.
Week 10: James Van Der Beek
In a shocking elimination, frontrunner James Van Der Beek was sent home after an emotional routine dedicated to his wife who was going through a miscarriage. Fellow bottom two contestant Ally Brooke attempted to give Van Der Beek her spot in the finale after the judges chose to send him home.
Saying good bye is never easy.