Warning: Spoilers ahead for episode nine of Dancing With the Stars season 34.
Happy Birthday, Dancing With the Stars!
This week’s episode kicked off a special celebration for the show’s 20th birthday. At the end, Andy Richter and Emma Slater were eliminated.
The ballroom was lively, with season one favorites joining as Tom Bergeron made a much-anticipated return as a guest judge. This marked his first time back since his departure in 2020, which caused quite a stir among fans.
In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Bergeron expressed his excitement to be back, saying he would judge much like he hosted. You can check out more about his thoughts here.
While season 34 is nearing its end, plenty of contestants remain. The current lineup features Whitney Leavitt from Secret Lives of Mormon Wives, social media star Alix Earle, Olympic gymnast Jordan Chiles, and Robert Irwin, among others.
During the birthday episode, couples performed to classic freestyle routines and took part in a unique relay dance round. In this round, pairs competed head-to-head, with judges awarding bonus points to winners.
Interestingly, Whitney and Mark skipped the relay dance due to immunity from the previous week, already gaining extra bonus points.
Robert and Witney made waves by earning the season’s first perfect score with a heartfelt dance tribute to Robert’s father, Steve Irwin. Witney noted that dancing with Robert felt like a “once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.” Their emotional performance struck a chord with viewers, showcasing how DWTS often blends personal stories with entertainment.
Other couples like Dylan, Alix, and Whitney scored 40 out of 40 in their routines, showcasing the high competition level.
As we head into the next two weeks, the competition is heating up. Upcoming episodes will feature a Prince Night theme and a grand three-hour finale on November 25.
Each week, the couple with the lowest combined scores and votes is eliminated. Live voting happens during the show, keeping the excitement alive for viewers.
Here’s how the scores landed for the 20th Birthday Party:
Individual Dances
Elaine Hendrix and Alan Bersten: 36/40
Robert Irwin and Witney Carson: 40/40
Andy Richter and Emma Slater: 29/40
Dylan Efron and Daniella Karagach: 40/40
Jordan Chiles and Ezra Sosa: 37/40
Alix Earle and Val Chmerkovskiy: 40/40
Whitney Leavitt and Mark Ballas: 40/40 (+2 bonus points)
Relay Dances
Jordan Chiles and Apolo Anton Ohno (WINNER, +2 bonus points)
Elaine Hendrix and Rashad Jennings
Dylan Efron and Rumer Willis (WINNER, +2 bonus points)
Andy Richter and Kaitlyn Bristowe
Alix Earle and Joey Graziadei
Robert Irwin and Xochitl Gomez (WINNER, +2 bonus points)
Final Leaderboard
Whitney Leavitt and Mark Ballas: 42
Dylan Efron and Daniella Karagach: 42
Robert Irwin and Witney Carson: 42
Alix Earle and Val Chmerkovskiy: 40
Jordan Chiles and Ezra Sosa: 39
Elaine Hendrix and Alan Bersten: 36
Andy Richter and Emma Slater: 29 (ELIMINATED)
You can catch season 34 of DWTS on ABC and Disney+ every Tuesday, with new episodes available on Hulu the following day.
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ABC,Dancing with the Stars,Tom Bergeron
