Kaitlyn Bristowe knows a thing or two about reality TV drama, having come from “The Bachelor” and “The Bachelorette.” She brought some of that to week two of “Dancing with the Stars” where she nursed an injury only to close the show with the performance of the night. What did you think of her foxtrot? Watch it above.
Early on in the show host Tyra Banks told the viewing audience that Bristowe was experiencing pain in her ankle and wasn’t sure she’d be able to perform. That was kind of a relief to hear, actually, because for a second I thought Banks was going to announce that someone in the cast was diagnosed with COVID. Banks checked in with Bristowe’s pro partner Artem Chigvintsev later in the evening, but it wasn’t until the end of the night that Bristowe confirmed that the show must go on.
She gave the last performance showing no sign of discomfort, and it was such a strong routine that she got the first 8 of the season from judge Derek Hough, as well as 7s from Carrie Ann Inaba and Bruno Tonioli for a total of 22 out of 30. That made it the highest scoring dance of the season so far, and when it was combined with the scores from the season premiere it tied her with Justina Machado at the top of the leaderboard.
It was a triumphant moment, and unsurprisingly, she was safe from elimination after that, though the reality TV-watching cynic in me wonders how much the show milked her injury scare for drama. Either way, it showed that Bristowe is a top contender for the Mirror Ball Trophy, and following Hannah Brown‘s victory in season 28, that would give us two “Bachelorette” winners in a row — provided her ankle holds up.
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