'DWTS' Season 35 Premiere: Ezra Frech and Harry Shum Jr. Lead as First Couple Is Sent Home

The iconic ballroom is officially back in action as *Dancing With the Stars* launched its 35th season with the opening leg of a two-night premiere event. The Tuesday night broadcast focused on this year's lineup of male celebrity contestants, who stepped out under the spotlight to deliver eight individual routines. Supported by the show's roster of 16 professional dancers, the episode also showcased troupe routines and featured appearances from contestants competing on *The Next Pro*. The opening night belonged largely to two breakout performers who captivated both the live audience and the judging panel. Paralympian Ezra Frech turned heads with an energetic tango set to the music of pop star Kelly Clarkson. His sharp movements and precise footwork landed him tied for the top score of the evening alongside *Glee* star Harry Shum Jr., establishing both men as early frontrunners for the coveted mirrorball trophy.

Who Got Eliminated on DWTS Season 35 Night One?

While the top of the leaderboard celebrated high scores, the bottom of the standings brought immediate stakes. The premiere episode culminated in the first official exit of the season, showing that no contestant is safe from an early exit. Conner Leavitt and his professional partner Adele Zaikman became the first couple sent home after earning the lowest total when judges' scores were combined with audience votes. Co-hosts Julianne Hough and Alfonso Ribeiro kept the fast-paced premiere moving, steering the broadcast through both high-scoring routines and unexpected technical issues behind the scenes.

BUZZBEAT

Why Did DWTS Fans Have to Vote by Text?

The live broadcast hit a major bump when the online voting system on the official ABC website experienced a widespread technical glitch. The outage prevented home viewers from casting their ballots online during the voting window, leaving text messaging as the only working method for fans to support their favorite dancers. Despite the website malfunction, the show experienced a massive surge in overall audience participation. Ribeiro announced live on air that, even with online voting sidelined, the total number of text votes cast during the premiere was double the volume recorded during the premiere of Season 34. The dramatic jump in voting numbers underscores the massive fan enthusiasm surrounding this season's cast. With the male celebrities having made their debut and the first couple already out of the running, the two-night premiere event moves forward into its second half, where the remaining stars will take their turn on the ballroom floor.