Witney Carson revealed Monday that she is pregnant with her third child and will still return as a professional dancer for the upcoming season of “Dancing With the Stars,” making her the first pro in the show’s history to begin a season expecting. The two-time mirrorball champion made the announcement on “Good Morning America,” ending weeks of speculation among fans who suspected the news might mean she was sitting the season out.
Carson said the decision followed careful thought rather than impulse, noting that her first trimester brought severe nausea that left her in what she called survival mode. She plans to continue competing as long as she and the baby stay healthy, calling the balance between performing and motherhood central to who she is. The dancer and her husband, Carson McAllister, already have two sons, ages five and three, and shared the pregnancy news with a photo booth video posted to Instagram showing the family holding a sonogram image.
Carson will be paired with “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” sidekick Guillermo Rodriguez for the season, part of a cast that also includes reality personalities Ciara Miller and Maura Higgins. She said she felt gratitude at being welcomed back to the ballroom at this stage of her life, framing her return as both a personal milestone and a chance to show what pregnant performers can accomplish on screen.
The announcement doubled as a preview of Carson’s expanding role within the franchise. She also appeared this week as a guest judge on the spinoff series “Dancing With the Stars: The Next Pro,” which pits aspiring dancers against each other for a shot at joining the show’s roster of professionals.
Carson said the judging experience caught her off guard, describing an unexpected appreciation for evaluating talent from the other side of the panel. Season 35 of “Dancing With the Stars” premieres with a two-night event on September 15 and 16 on ABC and Disney+.
