Witney Carson is already thinking ahead to Dancing With the Stars season 35 after her win with partner Robert Irwin.
“I don’t think that they would give me a winner, per se, next season,” Witney, 32, said on the Tuesday, December 9, episode of the “Viall Files” podcast.
Witney pointed out that fellow pro Jenna Johnson took home the Len Goodman Mirrorball Trophy in season 33 with partner Joey Graziadei and was then paired with Corey Feldman for season 34. (Corey and Jenna were eliminated first alongside Baron Davis and pro Britt Stewart.)
“I think the producers and Deena [Katz], the cast director — they are very smart in who they pair people with and they are very good at it. But they try to make it as fair as possible. They are all about fairness, I’ve come to learn over the years. Even with all of the votes and the judging, they try to make everything very fair,” she said. “Even though it might not seem that way, but behind the scenes, they really try … not to play favoritism, especially with the pros.”
Witney explained that “you can tell” based on a celebrity’s “popularity” if they are “going to be good in that realm,” but she noted producers “never know” whether the star can actually dance.
“So, they didn’t know if Robert could dance at all,” Witney continued. “They just thought our personalities would go well together. And you know, obviously, with his story, that was really great too. But they just never really know if people can actually dance until you get into it.”
Witney and Robert were crowned the season 34 champions of DWTS in November, with influencer Alix Earle and partner Val Chmerkovskiy placing second. The win marked Witney’s second victory after she previously took home the top title with now-cohost Alfonso Ribeiro.
“I seriously have no words. I’m just, like, coming off all the adrenaline and the messages have been incredible,” Witney said in an Instagram video after the win in November. “It’s been the craziest ride ever. To share this win with someone like Robert is so special.”
She continued, “There’s just so much to be thankful for, holy cow. Moments before [it was announced], I had no idea who the winner was going to be. … I remember Robert and I just looking at each other. I kept saying, ‘Whatever happens, we’ve already won.’ We had the most amazing season together and made the most amazing memories.”
Witney shared that she had been “so overcome with emotions” following the finale.
“We were thinking all day, ‘Eleven years ago that day, I had won with Alfonso,’” she recalled. “Eleven has been mine and Carson [McAllister’s] number since his dad passed away. Eleven-eleven has been very significant [to my husband and I]. Eleven years just felt so meant to be. It was crazy.”
She continued, “Through all the losses and the tough times that I’ve been through, the roller-coaster of this show and the seasons year after year [and] getting so close to winning but never actually winning is hard. This win just meant so much, like, all of the losses were worth it for this moment.”
While gushing about Robert, Witney shared that she would remember this season forever — and continue to reflect on it with her children. (Witney welcomed sons Leo and Jet in 2021 and 2023, respectively, with Carson.)
“There are no words to do it justice,” she concluded. “This season, in particular, will be a season and a time in my life that I will tell my kids about for the rest of their lives. It’s changed me in so many ways.”
