Tori Spelling Addresses DWTS Elimination: ‘Proud’ of My Journey

Tori Spelling‘s journey on Dancing With the Stars came to an early end, but she’s “grateful” for the experience nonetheless.

Spelling, 51, and pro partner Pasha Pashkov spoke to Us Weekly exclusively following their elimination on Tuesday, September 24. “It was truly an unbelievable journey and experience,” Spelling gushed. “Obviously, I felt like I was just starting, and I was seeing such a huge change in myself, physically and mentally [and] emotionally. I wanted to keep going, obviously, but I’m grateful I did it.”

Pashkov, 38, acknowledged that DWTS is “the most unpredictable show,” with no guarantees who will survive from week to week. “You never know what’s going to happen. You never know who’s going to go home, who’s going to win at the end of the day. And that’s the beauty of the show,” he told Us. “Sometimes it’s not pleasant when you’re the one eliminated, but at the end of the day, that’s the name of the game and that’s what makes the show so exciting to watch and be part of, because you really don’t know.”

No couples were eliminated during the September 17 premiere episode, meaning two pairs were sent packing on Tuesday following their Oscars Night performances. Spelling and Pashkov danced a rumba to “This Is Me” from The Greatest Showman, a movie Spelling said holds a special place in her heart.

“It’s our favorite movie as a family,” she explained in the intro package before hitting the ballroom floor. “Whenever any of us are going through hard times, if we put on that movie it gets us through.”

The twosome ultimately earned a 19 out of 30 from the judges, but Spelling had a different panel she hoped to impress. Her kids — Liam, 17, Stella, 16, Hattie, 12, Finn, 12, and Beau, 7, whom she shares with ex Dean McDermott — were cheering her on from the audience.

“Both weeks, having all five of my kids here in the audience was everything to me, because they’ve obviously been on this journey with me,” the actress told Us on Tuesday. “And they were fearful with me, alongside me, when I went into this. Like, ‘Are you going to get hurt? Are you going to be scared? Are you going to be able to do this? Oh, my God, what’s going to happen?’”

Spelling added that she was happy her kids saw her “facing her fears” during her time on the dance competition. “I came home, like, a better version of myself and a better mom every day, because … I was feeling so much personal growth and happiness and tapping into things,” she continued. “I was like, ‘Oh, my gosh, I haven’t felt this happy in so long for something I’m doing for me.’ Because I think I gave up a huge part of myself somewhere along this journey called life, and now I tapped into that, so I’m going to keep doing me.”

Though she and Pashkov won’t be hitting the rehearsal studio together again this season, Spelling said she’ll “1,000 percent” keep dancing. “I don’t know what that looks like, but I would love to [continue],” she noted. “I found something that really gives me joy, and I realized I’m good at it. … I made myself proud.”

When it comes to her connection with Pashkov, Spelling confirmed that she “wholeheartedly trusted him” throughout the process, which isn’t typical for her.

“I didn’t know anything about [him] before,” she told Us. “I mean, obviously, I watch the show every season. I see what I see on TV, and my friends were really thinking Pasha would be the perfect partner for me, so I was psyched when I got him. But I didn’t know that we would connect on such a deep level so quickly.”

The same was true for Pashkov. “I didn’t really know anything about [her]. So for me, everything learning about Tori was new, you know, but what was very interesting is Tori is … a very artistic and creative person,” he explained. “So it was like we almost developed a new language, [a new] communication in learning the dance.”

Along with Spelling and Pashkov, Anna Delvey and pro Ezra Sosa were eliminated on Tuesday. Despite her early exit from the competition, Spelling is celebrating her accomplishment with pride — and she hopes Pashkov stays a friend.

“You don’t realize what a personal and intimate experience this is and putting kind of everything — your trust and your heart and soul and everything — into another person. I honestly, like, for the short time we’ve known each other, I don’t think anyone’s ever gotten me this quickly in my entire life … so keep in touch, bro,” she teased.

Dancing With the Stars airs simultaneously on ABC and Disney+ Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET. Episodes are available to stream on Hulu and Disney+ the next day.

With reporting by Carly Konsker