In a heartfelt exclusive with Parade, Dancing with the Stars pro Val Chmerkovskiy and dancer Hayley Ebert opened up about Andy Richter’s impressive and emotional journey on season 34 of the show.
Though Andy was not an athlete or professional performer, Val praised his ability to connect deeply with audiences through authenticity and kindness, as he noted,
"I think Andy Richter is a testament to how powerful and effective you can be without necessarily being an Olympic gymnast or a professional dancer."
Val further shared:
"I think there’s power in the human element. I think that’s what makes this show not just an incredible competition, but also a really entertaining and appealing show."
Hayley, who is not dancing in the ballroom this season while expecting her first child with husband Derek Hough, was equally moved by Andy’s performances
She complements his charm, stating that he has so much joy, and that's what dance is about, making people feel those emotions, which Andy perfectly executed in his performances.
Reflecting on his standout moments, Hayley explained how Andy managed to connect with viewers on every level, expressing,
"Andy, every single week, was making people feel, and whether it was he was being comedic, and people were like, ‘Oh, my gosh, I just love him because it’s so funny,’ or the week they did the Hozier song, he made everybody just cry. The ballroom was like, ‘Oh, my gosh.’ It was super emotional. He made you feel all the range of emotions and that is what dance is. That’s what dancers do, so I think people really connected to him. He did amazing."
Both Val and Hayley admitted they would not have been surprised if Andy had made it even further in the competition. He came close, making it to the quarterfinals before his elimination.
“I’m not going to lie,” Hayley confessed. “I had faith he was going to go to the semifinals. And when Kaitlyn Bristowe ripped off his shirt and he had the six-pack, it was amazing. I was, ‘Oh, for sure he just won people’s hearts with that.’ He did such a great job, and you could tell he wanted to be there.”
Val expressed the same feeling, adding to her admiration, highlighting that Andy’s greatest strength was his ability to spread joy, as he says:
"Look, at the end of the day, someone is voting for Andy because he’s bringing them lots of joy,” Val said. “And that’s it. The show at the end of the day is about bringing people joy.”
Although Andy’s journey on Dancing with the Stars ended just before the semifinals, he is set to return for the show’s three-hour finale on November 25, 2025, joining the entire season 34 cast.
Dancing with the Stars' new episodes air weekly on Tuesday nights at 8:00 pm ET/PT on ABC and stream the next day on Hulu.
Stay tuned for more updates.