Dancing With the Stars Horror Movie Night Axing: Tyler Cameron and Jackson Olson Eliminated in Brutal Double Exit as Harry Shum Jr Scores Season’s First Perfect 40

Reality television favourite Tyler Cameron and sports personality Jackson Olson have been dumped from Dancing With the Stars in a ruthless double elimination following the high-stakes Horror Movie Night.

The sudden departures brought an abrupt conclusion to their quest for the coveted Len Goodman Mirrorball Trophy, cutting the ballroom line-up down to just eight couples. The shock cull arrived after the previous week’s Dedication Night granted all ten competing pairs temporary immunity, carrying over the judges’ marks and viewer votes to trigger a dramatic two-couple clear-out.

Despite surviving earlier hurdles, Cameron and professional partner Sharna Burgess found themselves at the bottom of the cumulative leaderboard, while Olson and partner Emma Slater fell victim to the combined public and scoring tally.

Tyler Cameron and professional partner Sharna Burgess during Dancing With the Stars season 35.

Jackson Olson alongside professional partner Emma Slater in the competition ballroom.

High Drama and Low Marks on Horror Movie Night

The evening opened under intense scrutiny as Hollywood actress Julia Stiles paired with Ezra Sosa to deliver an Argentine tango set to “The Dogs Attack” from the 1976 cinema classic The Omen. Stiles, who previously starred in the film’s 2006 cinematic remake, found the ballroom floor far less forgiving than the silver screen.

Judge Derek Hough pulled no punches, describing the performance as a noticeable “low” in the 10 Things I Hate About You star’s trajectory. The judges awarded the pair a modest 26 out of 40, which combined with the previous week’s 36 to leave them on 62 out of 80.

Tension mounted further when The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air actress Tatyana Ali and partner Jan Ravnik presented a paso doble inspired by the vampire thriller Sinners, dancing to Miles Caton’s “I Lied to You”. Carrie Ann Inaba commended Ali for delivering her “most powerful and embodied, passionate dance yet,” although a score of 28 brought their combined two-week total to 60 out of 80.

Julia Stiles and professional dancer Ezra Sosa on the Dancing With the Stars set.

Harry Shum Jr. and Jenna Johnson celebrate their historic routine on the ballroom staircase.

Historic Firsts and Judging Room Clashes

The broadcast pivoted from terrifying lows to dazzling heights when Glee star Harry Shum Jr. and Jenna Johnson took the stage. Their haunting contemporary routine to 2WEI’s rendition of Britney Spears’ “Toxic”, based on the grisly Saw franchise, stunned the arena.

Guest judge Shirley Ballas declared she had “never seen anything quite like” the routine, while Bruno Tonioli lauded the choreography as absolute “perfection”. The performance commanded the first perfect 40 out of 40 score of the entire season, rocketing their two-night aggregate to 76 out of 80.

Meanwhile, Jenna Dewan returned alongside professional Val Chmerkovskiy, who immediately addressed the fallout surrounding his recent one-week suspension. Dancing an Argentine tango inspired by 28 Weeks Later to “Uninvited”, Dewan suffered a wardrobe malfunction when her heel snagged on her gown, yet the pair still clinched 37 points to secure a joint total of 74.

Tatyana Ali and partner Jan Ravnik following their paso doble performance.

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Jenna Dewan and professional dancer Val Chmerkovskiy on the studio staircase.

How the Leaderboard Stood Across Two Crucial Weeks

The cumulative scoring system created massive pressure for contestants who had relied heavily on previous voting buffers. Key standings across the two-night aggregate reveal just how tight the margins became:

• Harry Shum Jr. and Jenna Johnson: 76/80 (Season’s first perfect 40/40)
• Amber Glenn and Pasha Pashkov: 74/80 (Awarded 36/40 for their Black Swan Argentine tango)
• Jenna Dewan and Val Chmerkovskiy: 74/80 (Scored 37/40 despite dress complication)
• Ezra Frech and Daniella Karagach: 72/80 (Earned 35/40 for jazz to The Invisible Man)
• Connor Wood and Rylee Arnold: 69/80 (Dubbed “contemporary king” by Inaba with 37/40)
• Jackson Olson and Emma Slater: 67/80 (Eliminated despite 35/40 for Joker tribute)
• Maura Higgins and Mark Ballas: 67/80 (Secured 32/40 for The Lost Boys contemporary)
• Julia Stiles and Ezra Sosa: 62/80 (Fell back with 26/40 on the night)
• Tatyana Ali and Jan Ravnik: 60/80 (Collected 28/40 on Horror Movie Night)
• Tyler Cameron and Sharna Burgess: 58/80 (Eliminated after scoring 26/40)

Comedian Connor Wood with professional partner Rylee Arnold.

Paralympic champion Ezra Frech and partner Daniella Karagach.

The Final Blow for Cameron and Olson

Olson, famed for his antics with the Savannah Bananas, channelled Joaquin Phoenix’s Joker in a theatrical routine to Frank Sinatra’s “That’s Life”. Tonioli celebrated the performance as “very special”, and the panel awarded a credible 35 out of 40, but it was not enough to rescue him once combined viewers’ votes were factored in.

For Cameron, the night unraveled during a Viennese waltz set to Annie Lennox’s “Love Song for a Vampire” from Bram Stoker’s Dracula. A direct disagreement erupted at the judges’ table when Inaba openly challenged “your highness” Ballas, who had praised Cameron’s dramatic acting capability.

The panel handed Cameron and Burgess a damning 26 out of 40, locking them into the lowest two-week combined score of 58 and confirming their exit alongside Olson.

Amber Glenn and Pasha Pashkov after securing high marks for their Black Swan routine.

Maura Higgins and partner Mark Ballas on the Dancing With the Stars set.

Looking Ahead to the Quarter-Final Stretch

Closing the evening, British television favourite Maura Higgins teamed up with Mark Ballas for a contemporary routine to “Cry Little Sister” from The Lost Boys. The routine collected 32 points, supported by high praise from Shirley Ballas, who commended the reality star for delivering a commanding showcase under immense technical pressure.

With only eight couples remaining in contention for the mirrorball trophy, the competition enters its most unforgiving phase. New episodes continue Tuesdays at 8 p.m. Eastern on ABC and Disney+, with streaming available on Hulu the following day.

💡 The departure of two prominent contenders demonstrates that strong public backing cannot entirely offset stumbling scores on themed performance nights.

🔍 As the remaining eight couples prepare for the next round, maintaining technical precision under intense judging scrutiny will decide who reaches the grand final.

👇 Did the judges get this double elimination right, or did Tyler Cameron and Jackson Olson deserve another week? Share your verdict in the comments below.

Source: pagesix.com