In a stunning turn of events that has left fans outraged, Whitney Leavitt from The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives has been eliminated from Dancing With The Stars just one week before the season 34 finale. The 32-year-old reality star, who had consistently earned top scores throughout the competition, was sent home during Tuesday's semi-finals in what many are calling one of the most shocking eliminations in recent memory.
Emotional Aftermath: "It Feels Like a Breakup"
On Thursday, Leavitt shared a tearful Instagram video where she opened up about the emotional impact of her sudden departure from the dance competition. "It genuinely feels like a breakup," the emotional star revealed, her voice cracking with emotion. "It feels like I'm going through withdrawals right now."
The reality television personality described the strange emptiness she felt not returning to the dance studio. "Today just felt so weird. It felt so weird not going into the studio and meeting with Mark and learning a dance," she confessed. "It just felt weird, and it made me sad."
Leavitt explained the intense bond that forms between dancers during the competition, noting: "When you are cast on Dancing with the Stars, you are seeing these people hours every single day. Then, it just stops."
Unexpected Friendship and Fan Backlash
Despite her disappointment, Leavitt expressed profound gratitude for the "lifelong friend" she gained in professional dance partner Mark Ballas. "Of course I loved performing on that stage. I loved wearing the costumes and dancing and expressing myself. I loved every bit of it," she shared. "But the one thing that I've loved the most, that I wasn't expecting, was getting a lifelong friend."
The elimination has sparked significant backlash from viewers, with many taking to social media to declare that Leavitt was "robbed" of her place in the finale. One fan commented: "America was robbed of a phenomenal freestyle dance next week. You did amazing!" while another wrote: "You genuinely got robbed. You were amazing!!"
Fellow contestant Danielle Fishel, who was also eliminated this season, showed support under Whitney's post, writing: "This is just the beginning!! I know the sadness is soooo real - I've been there - and it means we loved HARD!!"
The Shocking Elimination and What's Next
The controversial elimination came after Leavitt and Ballas delivered two nearly flawless performances during Prince Night. Their cha-cha to Prince's "1999" and Viennese waltz to "Slow Love" each earned impressive scores of 29 out of 30 from the judges.
In a dramatic twist, High School Musical star Zac Efron made his first appearance of the season to support his younger brother Dylan, who managed to secure a place in the finale despite scoring lowest overall with 55 points for both dances, thanks to strong fan voting.
The season 34 finale of Dancing With The Stars is scheduled for Tuesday, November 25 and will feature a special three-hour broadcast airing on ABC and streaming live on Disney+. Five couples remain in contention for the Len Goodman Mirrorball Trophy: Dylan Efron, Jordan Chiles, Robert Irwin, Alix Earle, and Elaine Hendrix.
Meanwhile, Whitney Leavitt continues her role on Hulu's The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives, where she's often portrayed as the villain. Season 3 of the reality series premiered on November 13, 2025.
