Whitney Leavitt breaks silence on her controversial reaction to Jen Affleck's elimination from Dancing with the Stars

Dancing with the Stars fame Whitney Leavitt has finally opened up about her viral reaction to The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives co-star Jen Affleck’s elimination from the dance competition.

During her appearance on the November 26, 2025, episode of the Call Her Daddy podcast, Whitney explained what went through her head when her co-star was sent packing, dismissing claims that she smirked after her name was announced. 

Jen and her pro dance partner, Jan Ravnik, were eliminated during Halloween Night, which aired on October 28.

While viewers took to social media to share their thoughts on Jen’s exit, many also noted that they caught Whitney briefly smile after hearing Jen’s name, and then cover her mouth. 

It put Whitney under the spotlight, with fans calling her out for being too happy about her co-star’s departure.  

However, on the Call Her Daddy podcast, Whitney denied ever feeling excited about someone else’s elimination.

Instead, she explained that she felt “two emotions.” First, there was a sense of relief that she survived another elimination, and second, disappointment about seeing someone go. 

Whitney noted that the brief smile, if any, was her feeling secure to have made it to the next round of the competition. 

Dancing with the Stars’ Whitney Leavitt explains that her reaction stemmed from a sense of relief

Before dismissing claims that she was happy about Jen’s elimination from the show, Whitney explained that she always kept herself mentally prepared for the possibility of her going home every Tuesday. 

“So, in that moment, I felt two emotions. Like, it was one where I was like, ‘Oh my god, they didn’t call my name, but oh my God, now my friend’s going home.’ Like, two emotions in that moment,” she said. 

The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives star added that although she felt relieved to have survived elimination, the satisfaction was momentary because she also got upset about someone else’s journey coming to an end.

When asked about her smile, in particular, Whitney said that she did not remember smiling. However, she noted that if she had smiled, it was out of relief that her name was not called. 

She further denied accusations that said she was excited about Jen’s elimination.

“No excitement whatsoever. There is never excitement when anyone gets eliminated,” she stated. 

But at the same time, The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives star reiterated that although sad, she was grateful her name was not announced. 

Whitney Leavitt discusses tension with Jen Affleck and their current relationship status

On October 29, 2025, Jen and Jan did a TikTok Live, where they answered fan questions. One of the questions asked the pair to name the couple they would be rooting for on Dancing with the Stars.

Both Jen and Jan named Andy Richter and Emma Slater as their top choice, followed by Robert Irwin and Witney Carson. 

Jen went a step further and said:

“And I would be voting for a former MomTok person, but we won’t get into it because you'll have to wait for season 3.”

Whitney, on the podcast, said that it “sucked” to have a co-star speak against her by feeding into the popular narrative proposed by fans. 

That said, Whitney revealed she was not on good terms with Jen, partly because of everything that happened on Dancing with the Stars and also because of their history on The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives. 

She further teased drama between her and Jen that viewers will see on season 4 of The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives in the following year. 

Stay tuned for more updates.