Teen Mom OG star Bristol Palin’s son is following in her ballroom dancing footsteps, joining the cast of Dancing With the Stars: Juniors, it was announced Tuesday.
The 9-year-old Tripp Palin was revealed to be part of the ABC dancing competition’s upcoming spinoff season, premiering Oct. 7, during Tuesday’s Dancing With the Stars elimination ceremony. He will be partnered with child pro Hailey Bills and adult mentor Jenna Johnson
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Mom Bristol competed on Dancing With the Stars alongside partner Mark Ballas in 2010, finishing in third place, and then again with Ballas in an all-star on season in 2012.
Entertainment Tonight talked with the MTV star about her reaction to her son’s casting prior to the announcement.
“I was like, ‘No way!’” Bristol said. “My son, of course at first, was like, ‘Oh, yeah, this sounds so fun. I am going to do it!’ And then I showed him some clips of young dancers, [and he said,] ‘I am not doing it!’”
“[I was] like, ‘We already signed the contract — you have to do it!’” she joked. “But he had the best time of his life and he has made lifelong friends there. [He had an] incredible time, and I have the utmost respect for the show and everyone there. It was a great experience for him.”
Bristol even had some notes for her son as he took to the ballroom, admitting she may have gone a little overboard with her enthusiasm at times.
“I felt like a complete pageant mom, like, ‘Tripp, you better smile! You better practice!’” she admitted. “It was more nerve-racking having my son on the show than it would have ever been to have myself on it, because it was like, ‘Smile! If you don’t have a good attitude, you are going to regret this!’”
She also had some life advice to offer her little one.
“I told him to try his best. I mean, he was 9 years old. He was one of the youngest on the show,” she continued. “I said, ‘Tripp, have fun, make friends, learn some manners with girls, learn how to dance’… and that is what he did. He had such an amazing time, and they are memories that he will have forever.”
Bristol recently joined the Teen Mom OG cast alongside The Challenge alum Cheyenne Floyd in order to fill the hole left by Farrah Abraham. The two will make their premiere in the MTV series on Monday, Oct. 1 at 9 p.m. ET.
Dancing With the Stars: Juniors premieres Sunday, Oct. 7 at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.
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