Britt Stewart addresses rumors she is leaving DWTS after series of early eliminations
Britt Stewart addresses rumors she is leaving DWTS after series of early eliminations
Lauren DuBois Sun, November 1, 2026 at 1:26 AM UTC
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Britt Stewart is addressing rumors she's leaving Dancing With the Stars (Image: ABC)
Dancing With the Stars pro Britt Stewart is officially addressing claims that she was considering quitting the show after another early exit during season 35.
The seven-time pro dancer on the dance competition series, which is airing its 35th season on ABC, was partnered with Taylor Hanson during the competition, but the duo was shockingly eliminated after just three weeks.
Shortly after, it was reported that Stewart, 37, was considering quitting the show after several years of early eliminations and not yet having a chance to appear in a finale.
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A report in The U.S. Sun indicated she was thinking about not returning to the show in future seasons if asked because she was tired of other pros being treated "better" and being given partners who were considered "ringers."
However, in a new interview with Cosmopolitan, Steart assured fans that as long as the show will have her, she isn't going anywhere.
Stewart and her partner Taylor Hanson were brutally eliminated during week three (Image: ABC)
Speaking to the magazine, Stewart opened up about how important it was to her to be on the show and, hopefully, one day, win the Mirrorball, because she represents that it is possible for a black woman to do so.
"The first thing I thought about when I saw that [headline] was when I was approached by a little Black girl at Dancing with the Stars," she said.
"She came up to me and said, "You are amazing, good job,' and I said, 'Thank you so much.' I gave her a high-five, but her mom then followed and said, 'Every time my daughter saw you go on the floor, she just, like, gasped. You being in the ballroom means so much for us and for my little girl.'"
After their elimination rumors circulated that Stewart was thinking of leaving the show (Image: ABC)
"And so when I see something like that [headline], I just think, you know, that girl would be so disappointed in me if I didn't accomplish what I was to accomplish. And I know I haven't accomplished all that I could."
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Stewart made history on the show when she was promoted to a pro during the show's 29th season, as the first female black pro on the show, and only the third black pro overall, behind Keo Motsepe, who joined the show in Season 19, and Brandon Armstrong, who was promoted from the troupe in Season 27.
She and Armstrong remain as the only black pros on the show, with the troupe featuring Onye Stevenson and Jaxon Willard.
Fans have long accused the show of pairing Stewart with celebrities who would likely be eliminated early, with no obvious "ringers," and have also claimed that Armstrong wasn't treated fairly, as he has only made the finale once during his seasons as a pro.
Stewart is now addressing the rumors head on (Image: ABC)
To date, her best finish has been fifth on the show, with her now-husband, Daniel Durant, whom she danced with in season 31.
She also placed sixth in her first season with figure skater Johnny Weir.
However, in other seasons, she was partnered with Martin Kove in Season 30, Adrian Peterson in Season 32, Eric Roberts in Season 33, and Baron Davis in Season 34.
Kove was eliminated first, leaving them in 15th place, while Peterson was the fourth celebrity eliminated in their season, finishing 11th.
She and Roberts placed 10th and were the third team eliminated in the second week, while she and Davis were cut first in a double elimination in the second week of their season.
Dancing With the Stars airs Tuesdays on ABC and Disney+.
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
