Witney Carson reveals Guillermo Rodriguez as DWTS season 35 partner
Dancing with the Stars pro Witney Carson revealed on Good Morning America that her Season 35 celebrity partner is Jimmy Kimmel Live! sidekick Guillermo Rodriguez—not Robert Irwin, who won Season 34 with her. Carson also announced she is four months pregnant and will compete while expecting her third child. The August 17 reveal is the first confirmed pro-celebrity pairing ahead of the ABC competition's two-night premiere on September 15 and 16.
Key Takeaways
- Witney Carson will dance with Guillermo Rodriguez on DWTS Season 35, not returning partner Robert Irwin.
- Carson revealed on GMA she is four months pregnant and plans to compete while expecting her third child.
- Rehearsals are capped at four hours daily until roughly the quarterfinals, Carson told TV Insider via Yahoo.
- Guillermo Rodriguez pushed back on fan theories that the pairing guarantees an early elimination.
- The full Season 35 cast and remaining pairings will be announced on GMA September 2.
Who Is Witney Carson's Season 35 Partner?
On Monday, August 17, Carson appeared on Good Morning America and announced Guillermo Rodriguez as her celebrity partner. Rodriguez is best known as Jimmy Kimmel's sidekick on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, where he rose to fame as the show's parking lot security guard.
Carson told GMA she was "so stoked" about the pairing. "He is so sweet, he's so fun. That's exactly what I need in the season of life that I'm in," she said, according to People.
Where Does Robert Irwin Fit After Their Season 34 Win?
Robert Irwin partnered with Carson for Season 34 and the pair won the Mirrorball Trophy. Irwin is not returning as a celebrity competitor for Season 35.
Carson reflected on that championship run in her Yahoo interview, noting the final four weeks required near-constant studio time. "The last four weeks of last season, my kids didn't see me. I was [working] 24/7," she said, describing the grind that helped deliver the Season 34 title with Irwin.
Why Are Fans Questioning This Pairing?
After Carson's pregnancy announcement, some viewers theorized producers paired her with Rodriguez because they expect an early elimination—giving Carson time to focus on her pregnancy. Social media users cited similar past-season patterns, though others pushed back on that reading.
Rodriguez addressed the speculation during Rosie O'Donnell's August 19 guest-hosting stint on Jimmy Kimmel Live!. "That's not going to happen because I'm trying my best and I'm working hard and I want to go all the way to the finals!" he said, as reported via IMDb.
What Has Changed About Rehearsals?
Speaking with TV Insider, Carson explained that rehearsal time is now limited to four hours per day until a certain point in the competition—likely the quarterfinals—when teams can rehearse without caps. That cap applies as she begins Season 35 with Rodriguez.
"Four hours a day is not enough for what we have to teach, for sure," Carson told Yahoo, "but somehow, the pros make it work." Season 35 rehearsals began the week before August 24, giving pairs several weeks before the September 15 premiere on ABC.
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