Heavy/ABC "Dancing With the Stars" update.
Alfonso Ribeiro revealed that things weren’t always as they seemed when he was a contestant on “Dancing With the Stars” a decade ago.
In 2014, the ABC host was partnered with pro dancer Witney Carson, and their partnership appeared to be picture-perfect. Ribeiro routinely gushed about Carson, telling ABC News at the time, “It’s so hard, but it’s a lot of fun and I’m having a blast. I’ve got the best partner in Witney Carson, she’s just amazing. We are having a blast with it.”
The duo ended up winning the mirrorball trophy for season 19.
But during an appearance on “Live With Kelly & Mark,” Ribeiro admitted that he sometimes butted heads with Carson behind the scenes. But he had a trick to avoid letting the tension show on camera.
Here’s what you need to know:
Alfonso Ribeiro Would Text His Grievances to Witney Carson, Then Bolt to the Bathroom
ABCAlfonso Ribeiro and Witney Carson rehearse.
In a “Live” segment that re-aired in April 2024, Ribeiro opened up to host Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos to talk about competing on the ABC celebrity ballroom show before he was named its host. He shared that sometimes he would argue with Carson while rehearsing on “Dancing With the Stars.” But viewers never really saw their beef because he would exit the scene.
“Whenever we would get into an argument, I would take my phone,” Ribeiro explained. “I would write whatever I wanted to say to her in the phone. Hit send. Go to the bathroom. Come back, and be like ‘We good?’
“Because I was like, “I’m not gonna yell at her on-camera,” he said. “We good? We took care of that? Let’s go dance!”
Alfonso Ribeiro and Witney Carson Have Remained Friends Over The Years
ABCAlfonso Ribeiro and Witney Carson.
Despite their off-camera conflicts, Ribeiro and Carson have remained friends. In a 2019 interview with John Foss, Ribeiro described Carson as “family” to him.
“It’s family for us,” he said of Carson and her husband Carson McAllister. “You know my wife and I and Carson and Witney. Carson’s her husband which is funny because it’s Witney Carson— but we all hang out together it’s like a family.”
In October 2020, Ribeiro raved about his former partner on Instagram, telling her in a birthday post, “You’ve been the best dance partner, card dealer, and little sis I could’ve ever asked for. Hope you have a fantastic day and can’t wait to see you soon.”
That same year, Carson told Us Weekly her season 19 partner was a “perfect fit” to host the show following the departure of Tom Bergeron. In fact, Carson assumed the new host was Ribeiro, due to his love for the show and past hosting expertise, until he assured her he was not. Instead, Tyra Banks was cast to host “Dancing With the Stars” for three seasons, the final with Ribeiro as her co-host. Banks departed the show in 2023 and Ribeiro and Julianne Hough became the hosting duo.
While co-hosting “Dancing With the Stars” with Banks for season 31, Ribeiro was like a proud papa when he mentioned several times that Witney Carson was once his partner. She was paired with Wayne Brady that season and they made it to the finals, landing in third place in November 2022.
Carson sat out season 32 of “Dancing with the Stars” to focus on her young family.
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