‘Dancing With the Stars’: Fan-Favorite TV Star Eliminated During Disney+ Premiere

Dancing With the Stars‘ latest season premiered on Disney+ on Monday night. In an unfortunate surprise to viewers, one of the celebrity contestants that got the boot by the end of the episode was a favorite. So, who was the first person eliminated from Season 31?

At the end of the night, Real Housewives of New Jersey star Teresa Giudice and Sex and the City alum Jason Lewis found themselves in the bottom two with their respective partners. It was then up to the judges to decide who would make it through to the next week. Ultimately, the judges unanimously chose to save Giudice, meaning that Lewis and his partner, Peta Murgatroyd, were the first ones sent home from Season 31. 

The premiere gave fans their first look at the celebrity contestants. With Lewis now out of the mix, there are 15 contestants still in the running for the Mirrorball Trophy. The cast includes The Bachelorette star Gabby Windey, actor Joseph Baena, and the multi-talented Wayne Brady. 

Monday night’s premiere marked some major changes for the DWTS franchise. First and foremost, it was the start of its tenure on Disney+. It was announced earlier this season that DWTS would be moving to Disney+ after 30 seasons on ABC. Kareem Daniel, chairman of Disney Media and Entertainment Distribution, said in a statement about the move, “Dancing With the Stars has entertained fans for 16 years on ABC, and we are excited to bring this beloved show exclusively to Disney+ as the platform’s first-ever live series. The show’s broad appeal, as well as the overwhelming popularity of its Disney-themed competition nights, make Disney+ the perfect home for Dancing With the Stars while continuing to expand our demographic reach.”

In addition to having a new home on streaming, DWTS also has a new host in its midst. Tyra Banks began hosting during Season 29, taking over duties from Tom Bergeron and Erin Andrews. But, starting with Season 31, she’ll have someone by her side on the dancefloor. Ahead of the premiere, the series announced that Alfonso Ribeiro would be joining the show as Banks’ co-host. 

“Dancing with the Stars has been such an important part of my life for so many years, and I am ecstatic to officially re-join this tight-knit family as co-host,” Ribeiro said in a statement, per TVLine. “Tyra and I have a longstanding friendship that I hope will resonate with all of the fans at home as we kick off this new season on Disney+.”