We finally know DANCING WITH THE STARS Season 35’s first pro-celebrity pairing: dancer Witney Carson with JIMMY KIMMEL LIVE personality Guillermo Rodriguez.
Rodriguez, Jimmy Kimmel’s sidekick, finally gets his time in the spotlight, while Carson is fresh off her Season 34 win with celeb partner Robert Irwin, Entertainment Weekly reported.
Rodriguez joins a slate that currently includes actresses Maura Higgins and Ciara Miller and Savannah Bananas star Jackson Olson. Other contenders who will be announced on Sept. 2.
“I think Ciara is going to be fantastic. I also think Maura is gonna be amazing, too,” Carson told TV Insider before talking about her partner. “I’m actually really excited for Guillermo. I love Guillermo. I think he’s really funny and really sweet. I think he’s gonna be, like, the Andy Richter of the season. You know? He’s gonna be the people’s prince, for sure. I’m really curious to see what he has in store, because I don’t think I’ve ever seen him dance.”
Though other pairings haven’t been announced, the dancer has some ideas.
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“I think Ciara would be really good with Val [Chmerkovskiy],” Carson speculated. “I think they would be really great together. Maura, I know she wants Mark [Ballas], which I think they would do really well, as well. But I’m super excited. It’s gonna be, probably, the best cast we’ve had in a long time.”
This season is extra special for Carson. Though she first joined DWTS back in Season 16, this will be her first time competing far along in a pregnancy.
“I’m very excited, but I would be lying if I said it wasn’t very daunting,” she told GOOD MORNING AMERICA’s Michael Strahan. “I’ve never been this far along pregnant and competing on DANCING WITH THE STARS before, ever. I don’t know if it’s ever been done. So, you guys will definitely see a big bump.”
Despite the daunting task, Carson is honored to be able to still be on the show.
“I am so proud to be a woman, to be creating life and growing this human. And to be able to do the show and compete and be able to grow this life is such a huge blessing,” she gushed. “And I’m so proud of it, and I’m gonna kick butt while doing it.”
DANCING WITH THE STARS Season 35 premieres Tuesday, Sept. 15, at 8/7c, with a second episode debuting the following day at 8/7c. For following weeks, the show will air during its usual two-hour Tuesday night slot.
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