Spoilers ahead for Season 35, Episode 4 of Dancing With the Stars, “Yacht Rock Night,” streaming now with a Disney+ subscription and Hulu subscription.
The 35th season of Dancing With the Stars has been airing on the 2026 TV schedule, and the show is already getting tense. The competition is stiff this season, meaning whoever is sent home each week is going to be a heartbreaker, but it doesn't help that some less well-reviewed dancers like Guillermo keep squeaking through. Week 3 brought Yacht Rock to the ballroom, as well as the season’s biggest upset so far. One pro was not happy about Tuesday’s elimination, and I can’t blame them. Neither can the Internet.
Why The Internet, Myself, And Even Some Pros Were Bummed This Week
Despite giving audiences a beautiful foxtrot to The Doobie Brothers’ “What a Fool Believes” that earned straight 6s from the judges and marked an improvement for the pair, Taylor Hanson and Britt Stewart were sent home at the end of the night.
Their elimination came as a big surprise, both because of Hanson’s Millennial popularity and the dedicated fans being determined to get Stewart her first Mirrorball. Millennials aren't the only faction voting on DWTS, but even some of the other pros straight up wrote online she'd been "cut WAY TOO SOON." This includes Witney Carson, who took to her Instagram Story to share a very sweet message:
I love you so much [Britt Stewart] ❤️🩹 You are an absolute star in every way. You and Taylor were magic on that floor every week, & your choreography is always incredible with whomever you have, but especially this season. It was a journey cut WAY TOO SOON. 😭 😭 😭 I’m so sorry and I love you
Carson’s comment mirrors (no pun intended) what everyone is thinking. It's worth noting she and her partner, Jimmy Kimmel Live’s Guillermo Rodriguez, have gotten the lowest scores and have been in the bottom all three weeks, including this week. I can only imagine how she feels about making it another week while her friend was eliminated.
Of course, Carson was not the only one who is calling out the votes. When their names were called, Stewart very visibly had an upset reaction, which is understandable, and on social media users have known how much Stewart has been wanting a win.
Seeing Britt this emotional is heartbreaking. She wanted this so bad. They keep playing in her face season after season. #dwts doesn’t appreciate her enough!! Britt you’re 1 of 1. No matter what you decide to do next, we’ll be rooting for you always pic.twitter.com/thaxtQuyheSeptember 30, 2026
I, for one, am just as upset. As someone who watches regularly, Stewart has been one of my favorite pros for a while now, ever since she joined as a pro in Season 29. I absolutely hate that she’s never won a Mirrorball, even with her incredible choreography, and I'd thought she actually had a partner who could keep pushing the limits this year. Stewart’s been eliminated pretty early on in the last few seasons despite putting in solid work and (this year) having a solid partner. I couldn’t be more disappointed.
When Hanson and Stewart’s names were called, it was obvious the two had not been expecting an exit. Stewart looked to be going through a mix of emotions while also trying to put on a brave face. This blunt comment to the react I think is a little over the top, but it really highlights how the fanbase is feeling.
somebody give britt a GUN pic.twitter.com/WNS9NHrGJ6September 30, 2026
In response to the clip, user psavannahhh pointed out that Stewart tried to make sure that Hason doesn’t think she’s disappointed with him, and it only shows just how close the two have grown over the last month, making the elimination all the more heartbreaking:
She’s so hurt but still trying to make sure Taylor doesn’t think she’s disappointed with him🤧 Dancing with the Stars you will pay!
On top of being upset that they’re no longer in the competition, people are also upset that fan-favorite Guillermo Rodriguez is still in.
Let's Unpack The Guillermo Of It All
Guillermo’s been Jimmy Kimmel’s beloved sidekick for years now, and arguably one of the best parts of the late-night talk show. As has happened many times in years past, he's become the "character" dancer this season that some fans root for, and it seemed the pros knew this would happen going in, as a lot of them fought for Guillermo. While there's nothing inherently wrong with enjoying Guillermo and Witney trying really hard, it does come with ramifications. Namely, eliminating better contestants.
Supermangeek101 doesn’t like that comedians like Rodriguez are staying in over people like Hanson:
This shocking elimination is so heartbreaking! Taylor Hanson wanted Britt Stewart as his partner! Stop sending these talented singers home on the third week over comedians like Guillermo who are awful at dancing! Taylor Hanson deserved so much better like Lauren Jaureguii! #DWTS
People have also been pointing out that Stewart hasn’t been working with any obvious frontrunners, so she doesn’t even have a chance to get to the finals. However, co-host Julianne Hough revealed that Hanson had requested to have Stewart as his partner. That piece of information just made it all the more disappointing that they didn’t make it far, as gothkuro noted:
I didn’t know Taylor requested Britt as a partner too, I’ve loved their partnership sm and im so mad FOR THEM
I love that the whole Internet is also visibly upset that Stewart and Hanson got eliminated so early. They’ve been entertaining to watch, and I felt their partnership was certainly one of the best on the show this season. It’s tough seeing Stewart getting eliminated early time and time again, but to Gracie353228, it’s much more than that:
Britt didn’t get eliminated, she got slandered.
I wish that Stewart wasn’t eliminated, and I wish we got more weeks of her and Hanson. Of course, Stewart will very much be staying on the show with her fellow eliminated pros, but the group stuff is just not the same.
With DWTS only happening once a year instead of twice a year now, there are fewer chances for her to win the Mirrorball now, too, though hopefully her popularity this season will help her work her way up the list of partners. Now people will just have to see who’s eliminated next in new episodes of Dancing With the Stars on Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.
