Alfonso Ribeiro has spoken out about one of Dancing With the Stars Season 35’s most controversial eliminations, admitting that watching Taylor Hanson and Britt Stewart leave the ballroom was particularly difficult for people behind the show as well as viewers at home.
Taylor and Britt were eliminated following Yacht Rock Night after performing a foxtrot to The Doobie Brothers’ “What a Fool Believes.” The routine earned 18 out of 30, and the result surprised many because the pair appeared to be making noticeable progress just as their journey ended.
Ribeiro revealed that this elimination hurt for a reason that went beyond Taylor’s scores.
He specifically pointed to Britt’s history on the show. Despite being one of DWTS’ established professional dancers, Stewart has never reached a finale, something Ribeiro acknowledged while explaining why seeing her leave so early was particularly painful.
Calling Britt an incredible professional, Ribeiro summed up his feelings simply: “This one hurt.”
He also revealed something viewers don’t always see while watching the competition. According to Ribeiro, the cast and crew become like a family during each season, and every new celebrity who joins eventually becomes part of that expanding DWTS circle.
That makes elimination nights much harder than they might appear on television. Someone has to leave every week, even as relationships are developing backstage and the cast becomes increasingly close.
Ribeiro said Taylor’s departure was also a major shock to the Hanson singer himself. He explained that Taylor clearly hadn’t expected his season to end so early, regardless of how far he originally imagined he might make it.
Britt’s reaction immediately after the result showed just how emotional the moment was. Cameras captured her apologizing to Taylor, and she later explained that she wasn’t apologizing for their performances — she was sorry their partnership wouldn’t get the longer journey she believed they could have shared.
Taylor was equally emotional afterward. He admitted one of his biggest disappointments was knowing he would no longer have the opportunity to help Britt chase her first Mirrorball Trophy, something he said he would struggle with.
And that may be the painful truth behind Ribeiro’s reaction. DWTS can deliver exciting surprises when viewer votes change the leaderboard, but those same unpredictable results can abruptly end partnerships just as they appear to be finding their momentum.
For Ribeiro and the rest of the DWTS family, Taylor and Britt’s elimination wasn’t simply another name being removed from the competition. It meant watching a respected pro’s latest attempt to reach her first finale end unexpectedly early — and saying goodbye to a partnership that many inside the ballroom believed still had much more to show.
