Just last week, professional dancer Lindsay Arnold announced that she will not be competing on season 32 of Dancing with the Stars, and yesterday (August 27) fans of the beloved competition series witnessed yet another casualty.
Witney Carson, one of the show’s most notable dancers, took to TikTok to share with her 339k followers that she will not be returning to the ballroom this fall, due to commitments to her family, her mental health, and her physical health:
“Okay you guys, I have a little announcement. This was not a decision that we took lightly at all. We definitely thought and prayed about it for a while, but we will not be doing Dancing With the Stars this season, and as much as that pains me to say, I just feel very at peace with it.”
“You guys know that family is the most important thing to me, and we just really felt that moving our entire family across the country right now was not for us. Leo’s at an age where he needs consistency and dependability, and he hasn’t had that ever since he’s been born. We are just really trying to give him that right now.”
“I also feel like I’m not quite mentally and physically ready for what the show calls for. I love dance. That is my passion, and so this was definitely a hard decision, but I’ll be rooting for everybody on the show. I cannot wait to watch. I’m so excited. I definitely think this is just a break. I hope it’s not a goodbye, but for now we will be their number one cheerleader watching. Love you guys.”
Amassing nearly 400 comments on the post, fans expressed their agony that Witney will not be serving as one of the show’s professional dancers for season 32, however, (for the most part) they support and understand her decision:
“Come back next season please! You are so talented! ❤️”
“I will miss you. I think you’re one of the best dancers on that show. Enjoy your family. Hope to see you again.”
“You & Lindsay will be missed, but I understand your family is important & that they come first 🩵🩷💙”
“We will miss you! You’re literally my favorite! In this season it’s important to show yourself grace, and we still support you!”
“I’ll miss seeing you! Enjoy those sweet babies ❤️”
Witney is a longtime member of the Dancing with the Stars cast, rising to fame in 2012 as a finalist on So You Think You Can Dance prior to joining the fan-favorite competition series. Witney became a partner dancer in season 18, and in season 19, she took home the coveted Mirrorball Trophy alongside Alfonso Ribeiro (who is now the co-host of Dancing with the Stars) — her presence will definitely be missed in the ballroom!
As of right now, the only two celebrities confirmed to hit the Dancing with the Stars stage this fall are Charity Lawson from The Bachelorette and Ariana Madix from Vanderpump Rules. Their fellow competitors will be announced live on Good Morning America on September 13, as well as their partners — our heart is broken that both Witney and Lindsey will not be there!
Afterwards, the show will air simultaneously on ABC and Disney Plus every Monday night from 8pm to 10pm ET, and we seriously can’t contain our excitement.
