Witney Carson reveals hair was ripped out during Dancing with the Stars practice

Witney Carson revealed a chunk of her hair was ripped out during rehearsals with Robert Irwin for DWTS finale

Witney Carson has shared a dramatic behind-the-scenes moment as she prepares for the season 34 finale of Dancing with the Stars. The professional dancer revealed on Instagram Stories that a portion of her real hair was “ripped out” during rehearsals with her partner, Robert Irwin.

“Well, this happened … and yes, that’s my real hair,” she wrote. “[It] ripped out of my scalp. Blood, sweat and hair into this freestyle,” she added, according to Us Weekly.

Carson, 32, and Irwin, 21, are among the five pairs competing for the Len Goodman Mirrorball Trophy in the finale airing on Tuesday, November 25.

The duo will perform a freestyle routine to a mash-up of “Black and Gold” by Sam Sparro and “The Nights” by Avicii. They will also dance a quickstep to “Are You Gonna Be My Girl” by Jet for the Judges’ Choice segment.

Fans have followed Carson and Irwin’s journey closely since their debut on September 16, 2025. The pair has impressed judges throughout the season, with Irwin earning a score of 29/30 for his Viennese Waltz in the penultimate episode on November 18.

Carson previously described her partnership with Irwin as “full-circle,” noting the responsibility she felt in mentoring him. She told PEOPLE in September, “Our age gap was very, very big…from the second that he walked into the room, it just felt automatically right and meant to be.”

The season finale will also feature Jordan Chiles and Ezra Sosa, Alix Earle and Val Chmerkovskiy, Dylan Efron and Daniella Karagach, and Elaine Hendrix and Alan Bersten.

Fans are eagerly awaiting the performances to see who will take home the Mirrorball Trophy, while Carson’s candid post highlighted the physical commitment behind the routines.