Taylor Hanson Reveals Why He Requested Britt Stewart Following Their Controversial ‘DWTS’ Elimination

Taylor Hanson specifically requested pro dancer Britt Stewart as his partner for DWTS season 35, praising her as the embodiment of the show’s spirit and elegance during their post-elimination interview.The pair was eliminated after just three weeks on Yacht Rock Night, but Taylor became emotional, expressing deep gratitude for Britt’s dedication to dance and her impact beyond the competition.Following their shocking elimination, sources revealed that Britt is considering leaving the show amid concerns about racial bias, with fellow pros encouraging her to move on if desired.Taylor Hanson and Britt Stewart only made it three weeks into Dancing with the Stars season 35 before getting eliminated after Yacht Rock Night, but he still has a lot of love for the pro dancer…especially because he specifically requested to be paired with her for the beloved competition series!During a post-elimination interview with former contestant Andy Richter for the DWTS companion podcast, Taylor visibly got emotional when gushing about Britt and why he chose her as his partner.“I specifically asked the show. I said, if you’re gonna pair me with anyone,I would like to be paired with Britt, because she represents the spirit of why this show is great and why it’s 35 seasons in,” he shared, adding, “I’m really glad that culture is loving on Dancing With the Stars right now, because there’s something just really elegant and really elevated and…positive…We could use some more of it.”Earlier during the chat, Taylor gave Britt her flowers for her impact on the show and beyond, saying, “She has done what I’ve done, in a lot of ways, with dance for most of her life. She’s thrown her heart at it, and that’s the thing most people avoid. All my heroes, that’s what they’ve done. My heroes are not all musicians. Like, my heroes are, you know, architects and painters and, you know, people that had crazy ideas.”He later added that he is “so grateful” to have experienced DWTS with Britt “because she’s incredible.”Britt also chimed in, thanking Taylor for his kind words and for “really seeing” her so early on in their partnership. “It’s really rare for people to, like, really see you, you know?” she said. “It just means so much that Taylor could see me through a distance. And then of course, when we got paired…he walked in the room in our first meeting and I was like, ‘He’s for sure my partner.’”She continued, “Thank you for seeing me, ’cause…I think sometimes I can be quiet or a little bit more reserved, and I do what I do for so much more than just for just me and for just dance. I do it for so many things.”Eric McCandless//ABCTaylor’s emotional comments about Britt went viral after a source close to the production of DWTS told The Sun that the pro is considering leaving the show after this season.After her and Taylor’s shocking elimination, which raised concerns among fans when it comes to racial bias and how Black pro dancers are treated on the show, the insider shared, “All of the other pros were supporting Britt, but there were some specifically who told her ‘you don’t need this show’ and encouraged her to move on if she wanted to.”They continued, “It’s way too early and raw for her to decide how she’ll proceed and if she’ll come back next season. She agrees that other pros get treated better than her. She agrees that she was never set up for success. But it’s still her home, her family, and her livelihood. I can see it going either way.”That said, Britt has said nothing about quitting and has only expressed gratitude for her experience. As she expressed to Good Morning America following her elimination, “I am incredibly grateful for the support that we have had. I am incredibly grateful for meeting Taylor. There are few times in your life that you meet people that you really align with, and I feel like we align in so many different ways. So this is just the beginning for us. I’m grateful. At the end of the day, I’m grateful.”