After another early exit on Dancing with the Stars, Britt Stewart is addressing rumors she may quit as fans renew calls for the pro to get a celebrity partner with dance experience.
ADVERTISEMENT
Britt -- who has yet to reach the finale in seven seasons as a pro on Dancing with the Stars -- said that when she saw The Sun story claiming she wants to quit the show after a string of early eliminations, she thought about what her presence in the ballroom means to young fans.
RELATED LINK: 'DANCING WITH THE STARS' PROS AND THEIR SIGNIFICANT OTHERS: WHO'S DATING OR MARRIED TO WHOM!? (PHOTOS)
In a recent interview with Cosmopolitan, Britt, 37, recalled meeting a young Black girl at the show. The girl told her she was amazing, and her mother later explained how much it meant to her daughter to see Britt perform.
"[The girl] came up to me and said, 'You are amazing, good job,' and I said, 'Thank you so much.' I gave her a high-five," Britt recalled.
ADVERTISEMENT
"But her mom then followed and said, 'Every time my daughter saw you go on the floor, she just, like, gasped. You being in the ballroom means so much for us and for my little girl.'"
Britt joined the DWTS Troupe in 2016 and became a pro in 2020, making her the first Black woman to hold the role. Her last three seasons ended by Week 3, and this season, she and her celebrity partner, musician Tyler Hanson, were eliminated during "Yacht Rock Night," prompting fans to call for "Justice for Britt" and urge the show to give her a "ringer."
"When I see something like that [discourse], I just think, you know, that girl would be so disappointed in me if I don't accomplish what I want to accomplish," Britt told the magazine. "I know I haven't accomplished all that I could."
Britt was visibly emotional when she and Tyler were eliminated from DWTS' 35th season, but she insisted she was "sad" and "disappointed," not angry.
"It is hard when you are a person who wears your heart on your sleeve. I pride myself on my authenticity, and so you just saw all parts of me in that moment," Britt said.
ADVERTISEMENT
"But, you know, the show must go on. I allowed myself to process all of my feelings, and I am still showing up every week, and I'm so grateful for the opportunity that I have. All of us pros go through it, and that's why we're able to return each and every season—because we keep going."
Some of Britt's DWTS partnerships have become especially meaningful to her. She married actor Daniel Durant, her celebrity partner on Season 31, in August 2025.
But when it comes to fans asking for a "ringer," Britt said a celebrity's dance background doesn't always predict how far they'll go in the competition.
"It's so interesting, because I don't think that there is a 'ringer' anymore," she said.
"I think sometimes you have someone who comes on the show that you think is going to be absolutely incredible, and they just don't connect with our audience, or vice versa."
ADVERTISEMENT
Britt explained that she puts more value on a partner who is invested in the experience and willing to connect with her as they work on their dances.
"What I do know is that for me, as a pro, I love to have someone who wants to be there and who can go deep, because the more that I can connect with someone, the better I am at storytelling," Britt noted.
Britt also said she puts pressure on herself to make every dance -- and the overall experience -- special for her partner each season.
"I do put a lot of pressure on myself. I take a lot of responsibility to make each and every single dance incredible and to make sure that the journey for my partner is fulfilling and enjoyable, and I'm still working on separating the result from the process," she shared.
She wished viewers had gotten more time to see Tyler relax into the competition, especially since his work ethic impressed her throughout the season.
ADVERTISEMENT
RELATED LINK: 'DANCING WITH THE STARS' PROS AND THEIR SIGNIFICANT OTHERS: WHO'S DATING OR MARRIED TO WHOM!? (PHOTOS)
"He really dives into whatever project he's working on, and so he did that with Dancing with the Stars," Britt insisted.
"And I felt like right when we got eliminated is when he was starting to allow himself to enjoy it. I just wish that the audience would have been able to see him really relax into the process a little bit more because I truly believe it would have been a beautiful journey for him."
While Dancing with the Stars aired Disney Night on Monday, November 2, the show will return to its normal Tuesday-night schedule beginning on November 10.