5 Months Pregnant and Fighting Back: Inside Witney Carson's Historic DWTS Season 35 Run

Welcome back to the ballroom, dance fans! If you tuned into the September 15 premiere of DWTS Season 35, you already know we are in for a highly entertaining, and slightly controversial, ride.

Just last year, we watched Witney Carson lift the Season 34 Mirrorball Trophy alongside Australian conservationist Robert Irwin. Now, she is back in the spotlight, but the stakes are entirely different. In August 2026, Carson announced on Good Morning America that she would be competing this season while four months pregnant with her third child. Partnered with the beloved comedian Guillermo Rodriguez from Jimmy Kimmel Live!, her return has sparked massive excitement, a bit of online debate, and some immediate premiere night drama.

Let's dive into why Witney Carson is currently the most talked-about pro in the ballroom, how she is adjusting her choreography, and what the judges' harsh premiere scores mean for her trajectory this season.

The Premiere Drama: Why Witney Called the Scores 'Lame'

Transitioning from a highly athletic, championship-winning partnership to a comedic pairing is always a challenge. During the Season 35 premiere, Carson and Guillermo Rodriguez Dancing With the Stars debut featured a lively cha-cha to 'Mr. Big Stuff'. However, the judges were not feeling the magic, handing down a surprisingly low score of 10 out of 30 (with individual scores of 4, 3, and 3).

Carson was quick to defend her new partner. In an interview with Us Weekly, she explicitly called the judges' scores 'lame.' She emphasized that Rodriguez followed her lead perfectly and put on a great performance. This immediate friction between Carson and the judges has set the stage for a compelling underdog narrative. Fans love a comeback story, and the tension is already drawing viewers in to see if the duo can redeem themselves in week two.

Dancing for Two: Making History on the Dance Floor

Competing on a grueling physical show while pregnant is no small feat, and the Witney Carson pregnant storyline is redefining what fans expect from the show's professionals. Carson, who already shares two sons, Leo (5) and Jet (3), with her husband of 10 years, Carson McAllister, views this season as an empowering journey.

According to an interview with TheWrap, Carson explicitly stated she does not plan to hide her baby bump. Instead, she wants to showcase exactly what a woman's body is capable of achieving under pressure.

The DWTS fanbase has shown overwhelming support, with many mothers calling her decision highly inspiring. However, there is also ongoing social media chatter debating the safety of performing intense ballroom routines while pregnant. Fans have been humorously speculating about the logistics of Carson making it to the finale while visibly heavily pregnant. Observers have already noted that she is playing it smart—she has modified her choreography significantly, notably removing the dangerous, high-flying lifts that are typical of her routines.

Adaptability: The Mark of a Champion

Going from Robert Irwin DWTS champion to guiding Guillermo Rodriguez is a massive shift in strategy. But if anyone can handle it, it is Carson.

When recently asked on the Viall Files Podcast about her advice for upcoming dancers, Carson emphasized that adaptability and continuous learning are the most critical traits for a DWTS pro. She noted that every celebrity partner brings vastly different strengths and weaknesses. With Robert Irwin, she leaned into youthful athleticism; with Guillermo, she is leaning into character work, comedic timing, and crowd engagement. It is a true test of her choreographic range.

Expanding Her Empire Beyond the Ballroom

Even with a baby on the way and a demanding TV schedule, Carson is keeping her momentum going outside of the show. She recently expanded her brand by launching a brand-new fitness app called 'Finesse'. On top of that, she has been sharing her expertise as a guest mentor on the new spinoff series, Dancing With the Stars: The Next Pro, proving that her influence on the franchise extends far beyond her own performances.

Unanswered Questions: Behind the Scenes

While fans are loving the on-screen action, a few behind-the-scenes questions remain a mystery to the public:

• What specific medical precautions is the production team enforcing? While we know Carson is modifying her own choreography, the exact details of how her ABC contract addresses potential mid-season withdrawal if pregnancy complications arise remain under wraps.
• What exactly does the 'Finesse' app offer? Though the Witney Carson Finesse app is generating buzz, fans are still searching for deep-dive reviews on the specific features, pricing tiers, and workout styles she offers to everyday users.

Final Thoughts

Witney Carson is balancing a fiercely competitive spirit, a new comedic partner, and the physical demands of pregnancy all on live television. Whether she and Guillermo can bounce back from their harsh premiere scores remains to be seen, but one thing is certain: she is making DWTS history.

Make sure to tune into DWTS Season 35 on ABC and Disney+ to follow their journey, and join the debate on social media—do you think the judges were too harsh on Guillermo, or was the 10/30 score justified?