‘Real Happy I’m Not on This Season’

Ilona Maher expressed her honest opinion as she watched the recent episode of Dancing With the Stars Season 34.

Since the start of the new season, fans have been impressed with The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives star Whitney Leavitt and her partner Mark Ballas, as well as Robert Irwin and pro dancer Witney Carson, who quickly emerged as standout pairs.

But during Week 3’s TikTok Night, it was Olympian Jordan Chiles and her partner Ezra Sosa, along with Whitney Leavitt and pro dancer Mark Ballas who stole the spotlight with their striking and powerful moves, topping the leaderboard with a score of 24/30.

Following the release of the latest episode, Maher, who joined the reality talent competition last season, breathed a sigh of relief after witnessing how this season’s contestants delivered such impressive talent and moves on the show.

In a post on her Instagram Story, the American rugby union player confessed she was thrilled not being on DWTS Season 34.

“Real happy I’m not on this season because there are some serious dancers on here,” she said.

Moreover, she tagged fellow Season 33 participants, former NFL wide receiver Danny Amendola, Olympic gymnast Stephen Nedoroscik and retired NBA star Dwight Howard, noting that they, including Maher herself, “ain’t no way could have kept up” with the current contestants.

Lastly, the athlete and social media personality also reacted to the unexpected elimination.

“Well that was a wild elimination,” she said.

Fifth Harmony member Lauren Jauregui and her partner Brandon Armstrong were the latest pair to be eliminated after failing to impress the judges and audience with their performance of “Work From Home.”

When asked about her thoughts on the elimination, the 29-year-old singer couldn’t hide her frustration and admitted she was “pissed.”

Despite feeling devastated by the result, Jauregui expressed her gratitude towards Armstrong.

On the other hand, Maher had an amazing journey on DWTS Season 33 after finishing in second place alongside her partner Alan Bersten.

According to her, beyond finishing as runner-up, what truly surprised her was the genuine friendship she built with her dancing partner.

“I didn’t expect this to happen, but he is somebody whom I hope to connect with for the rest of my life,” she told Entertainment Tonight.

Even after Season 33 ended, the rugby superstar and Bersten have remained close, often exchanging casual comments on each other’s social media posts.

This story was originally reported by Parade on Oct 1, 2025, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Parade as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

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