Tyler Cameron and Jackson Olson Eliminated in 'Dancing With the Stars' Double Exit
Two couples were sent home following Horror Movie Night as scores and votes from two weeks were tallied.
Season 35 of ABC's "Dancing With the Stars" bid farewell to two couples on Tuesday night during a high-stakes double elimination on "Horror Movie Night." Former "Bachelorette" contestant Tyler Cameron and professional partner Sharna Burgess were sent home alongside Savannah Bananas baseball player Jackson Olson and pro partner Emma Slater. The exits followed an episode with no eliminations during Week 6's "Dedication Night," meaning the final results combined the judges' scores and audience votes from both consecutive weeks.
Following the results, Cameron spoke warmly about his journey and his partnership with Burgess, calling the overall experience "incredible." Cameron admitted he felt disappointed with himself on the ballroom stage, sharing that he felt like he had let Burgess down after all the dedication she gave him throughout the season. He also reflected on his personal milestones, noting, "I have a special woman in my life now, I'm very lucky," referencing his fiancée, Tate Madden, whom he announced is expecting their first child during the previous week's broadcast.
Olson's departure came as an unexpected shock to viewers after delivering a strong performance that initially placed him comfortably above several competitors. Olson, who performed a contemporary routine inspired by the film "Joker," earned 35 out of 40 points from the panel, tying for fifth place with Paralympian Ezra Frech. Despite outscoring fellow celebrities Julia Stiles and Tatyana Ali, the combined two-week total was not enough to save him. Olson remained upbeat, stating that he had campaigned through online videos since last year to join the show and celebrated getting "the most amazing partner" in Slater.
At the top of the leaderboard, "Glee" star Harry Shum Jr. and partner Jenna Johnson made franchise history for the season by capturing the first perfect score of 40 points. Performing a routine inspired by the "Saw" franchise—described alternatively in show recaps as a contemporary dance and as a quickstep set to "Toxic"—the pair earned unanimous 10s from regular judges Carrie Ann Inaba, Derek Hough, and Bruno Tonioli, as well as guest judge Shirley Ballas, the head judge on the British edition of the competition.
Right behind Shum, Jenna Dewan and pro Val Chmerkovskiy shared second place on the leaderboard with internet personality Connor Wood and partner Rylee Arnold, with each couple earning 37 points. The evening marked Chmerkovskiy's return to the competition floor following a one-week suspension stemming from an illegal lift controversy in Week 5. Wood also earned high acclaim for his "Annabelle: Creation"-themed routine, receiving a 10 from Inaba, who dubbed him the show's "contemporary king."
The night proved far tougher for other contestants who received harsh evaluations from Ballas. Julia Stiles and Ezra Sosa opened the evening with an Argentine tango inspired by "The Omen," drawing gasps when Ballas awarded them a score of 4 for lack of tracing, resulting in a total of 26. Tatyana Ali and Jan Ravnik faced similar scrutiny for their paso doble, receiving a 4 from Ballas for missing foundational genre elements, finishing near the bottom with 28 points.
Tuesday's double elimination thinned a field that has previously seen Conner Leavitt, Sarah Jane Nader, Giada De Laurentiis, Taylor Hanson, Ciara Miller, and Guillermo Rodriguez exit the ballroom. Looking ahead, the network is adjusting its broadcast schedule due to Election Day coverage on Tuesday. "Dancing With the Stars" will air on Monday, Nov. 2, at 8 p.m. ET on ABC and Disney+ for "Disney Night," featuring "Wicked" star Cynthia Erivo as a guest judge.