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The Worst "Dancing With the Stars" Contestant Each Season, Based on Results

These celebrities were sent packing from the ballroom first.

The 30th season of Dancing with the Stars just kicked off, which means that another celebrity is about to join the select group of champions who have already taken home the Mirrorball Trophy. But for every season and every winner, there's also a competitor who came in last. Hey, they may have improved if they'd been able to stick around, but the judges' scores and the audience voting from home decided that the celebrities listed below deserved to be eliminated from the competition first. And these Dancing With the Stars losers don't fit into just one category—among them, there are reality stars, TV hosts, athletes, actors, and more. So read on to see who was sent packing first in every season since the show began in 2005.

RELATED: 35 Celebrities You Won't Believe Did Dancing With the Stars.

Season 1: Trista Sutter

Trista Sutter at the We TV Presents "The Evolution of Relationship Reality Shows" event in 2015
Kathy Hutchins / Shutterstock.com

The first star ever eliminated on Dancing with the Stars was Trista Sutter. Sutter also made history as the first lead of The Bachelorette. She also has some bragging rights on this list, as the inaugural season of Dancing with the Stars only featured six celebrities.

Season 2: Kenny Mayne

Kenny Mayne on the sidelines of a Los Angeles Rams and Seattle Seahawks game in Seattle in October 2019
Jeff Halstead/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Kenny Mayne was considered the worst dancer on Season 2, which had 10 contestants. He's a sports anchor, who worked for ESPN from 1994 to 2021.

Season 3: Tucker Carlson

Tucker Carlson speaking at the Mathias Corvinus Collegium Feszt in Hungary in August 2021
Janos Kummer/Getty Images

Tucker Carlson was eliminated first out of Season 3's 11 contestants. The controversial Fox News personality hosts Tucker Carlson Tonight.

Season 4: Paulina Porizkova

Paulina Porizkova walking the runway for Jiri Kalfar during New York Fashion Week in February 2019
Ron Adar / Shutterstock.com

Paulina Porizkova went home first in Season 4. The model, who was at the height of her career in the '80s, was also a judge on another reality TV competition: America's Next Top Model.

Season 5: Josie Maran

Josie Maran at the Global Green USA 7th Annual Pre-Oscar Party in March 2010
Joe Seer / Shutterstock.com

In Season 5, the number of contestants was raised again to 12 celebrity dancers. The first eliminated star was Josie Maran, a a model and actor turned cosmetics brand founder.

Season 6: Penn Jillette

Penn Jillette at the premiere of "American Gods" in April 2017
DFree / Shutterstock.com

Magician Penn Jillette was sent home first in Season 6. Jillette is most famous for his performances as half of the magician duo, Penn & Teller.

Season 7: Jeff Ross

Jeff Ross at the Comedy Central Roast of Alec Baldwin in September 2019
Tinseltown / Shutterstock.com

Comedian and frequent roast host Jeff Ross left first during Season 7, which saw 13 contestants trying to dance their way to the Mirrorball Trophy.

Season 8: Belinda Carlisle

Belinda Carlisle at Peta Celebrates Prince on his Birthday in June 2016
Kathy Hutchins / Shutterstock.com

Even with her musical past, Belinda Carlisle didn't make it far on DWTS. The Go-Go's lead singer came in 13th place.

Season 9: Ashley Hamilton

Ashley Hamilton at the premiere of "Iron Man 3" in 2013
s_bukley / Shutterstock.com

During the ninth season of the show, the number of contestants was upped to 16. The first to go? Actor and son of George Hamilton, Ashley Hamilton.

RELATED: 22 Celebrities Who Turned Down Dancing With the Stars.

Season 10: Shannen Doherty

Shannen Doherty at the Farrah Fawcett Foundation's Tex-Mex Fiesta in September 2019
DFree / Shutterstock.com

Beverly Hills, 90210 star Shannen Doherty was the first of 11 stars eliminated in Season 10. Oddly enough, Hamilton, the worst dancer of the previous season, is her ex-husband.

Season 11: David Hasselhoff

David Hasselhoff at a screening of "John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum" in May 2019
DFree / Shutterstock.com

Actor David Hasselhoff was sent packing after his first dance in Season 11. The Baywatch star came in 12th place.

Season 12: Mike Catherwood

Mike Catherwood at the premiere of "Sucker Punch" in March 2011
Kathy Hutchins / Shutterstock.com

Mike Catherwood is a radio personality whose most high-profile gig was co-hosting Loveline with Dr. Drew Pinsky. He came in last out of 11 stars.

Season 13: Metta Sandiford-Artest

Metta Sandiford-Artest at the premiere of "Spider-Man: Far From Home" in June 2019
DFree / Shutterstock.com

Metta Sandiford-Artest (previously known by the names Ron Artest and Metta World Peace) is a former NBA player. He came in last out of 12 stars on Season 13.

Season 14: Martina Navratilova

Martina Navratilova talking to media at the 2015 WTA Finals
Jimmie48 Photography / Shutterstock.com

Tennis great Martina Navratilova's fancy footwork on the court didn't translate to the dance floor. She was eliminated first in Season 14.

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Season 15: Pamela Anderson

Pamela Anderson at the amfAR Cannes Gala 2019
Andrea Raffin / Shutterstock

Season 15 was a special one: Dancing With the Stars: All-Stars. This meant that past competitors returned for another shot at the trophy. Pamela Anderson was one of only two stars to return who didn't make the top three during their original season. The actor came in sixth place on Season 10 and was sent home first during All-Stars.

Season 16: Wynonna Judd

Wynonna Judd performing at Hardly Strictly Bluegrass in San Francisco in October 2016
Sterling Munksgard / Shutterstock.com

Country singer Wynonna Judd was the first person eliminated during Season 16. Figure skater Dorothy Hamill technically left the show first when she had to withdraw due to an injury.

Season 17: Keyshawn Johnson

Keyshawn Johnson at Safe Kids Day LA in April 2015
Kathy Hutchins / Shutterstock.com

Former NFL player and Super Bowl champion Keyshawn Johnson exited the dance floor first during Season 17.

Season 18: Diana Nyad

Diana Nyad at the ESPN Sport Science Newton Awards in February 2014
Kathy Hutchins / Shutterstock.com

Long distance swimmer Diana Nyad is celebrated for swimming all the way from Cuba to the U.S. unassisted. But, she didn't go the distance on the dance floor and was eliminated first in Season 18.

Season 19: Lolo Jones

Lolo Jones at the premiere of "Unbroken" in December 2014
DFree / Shutterstock.com

For the third year in a row, an athlete was sent home first when Olympic hurdler and bobsledder Lolo Jones was eliminated in Season 19.

Season 20: Redfoo

Redfoo performing in Sacramento, California in June 2012
Randy Miramontez / Shutterstock.com

Redfoo of the music duo LMFAO left first in Season 20. The act's biggest song was 2011's "Party Rock Anthem," and Redfoo (aka Stefan Gordy) is the son of Motown Records founder Berry Gordy Jr.

Season 21: Chaka Khan

Chaka Khan at Variety's 2019 Power of Women event in October 2019
Tinseltown / Shutterstock.com

Ten-time Grammy-winner Chaka Khan came in 13th place on her season of Dancing With the Stars. Thankfully, she got to dance to her hit "I Feel for You" before she left.

Season 22: Geraldo Rivera

Geraldo Rivera at the NBCUniversal TCA Press Tour in December 2015
Kathy Hutchins / Shutterstock.com

Talk show host and Fox News commentator Geraldo Rivera was ranked 12th out of 12 on Season 22.

Season 23: Jake T. Austin

Jake T. Austin at the premiere of "47 Meters Down: Uncaged" in August 2019
Featureflash Photo Agency / Shutterstock.com

Actor Jake T. Austin was voted the worst dancer on Season 23. The former child actor is best known for his role in the Disney Channel series Wizards of Waverly Place alongside Selena Gomez.

Season 24: Chris Kattan

Chris Kattan at the premiere of "Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle" in December 2017
Featureflash Photo Agency / Shutterstock.com

Chris Kattan came in last on the 24th season. He became a star thanks to his seven years as a cast member on Saturday Night Live.

Season 25: Barbara Corcoran

Barbara Corcoran at the season 8 premiere of "Shark Tank" in September 2016
Kathy Hutchins / Shutterstock.com

Barbara Corcoran usually calls the shots as a panelist on Shark Tank, but when she appeared before the judges on DWTS, she was sent home first.

Season 26: Johnny Damon and Jamie Anderson

Johnny Damon at the 2019 ESPYs in July 2019; Jamie Anderson at Billabong's 6th Annual Design For Humanity Event in July 2012
Phillip Faraone/FilmMagic via Getty Images; Joe Seer / Shutterstock.com

Season 26 of DWTS was a short season with only six celebrities and more than one pair being eliminated each week. Olympic snowboarder Jamie Anderson and former baseball player Johnny Damon were both sent home first.

Season 27: Nikki Glaser

Nikki Glaser at the Comedy Central Roast of Alec Baldwin in September 2019
Tinseltown / Shutterstock.com

Stand-up comedian and FBoy Island host Nikki Glaser went home first out of the 11 contestants on her season of Dancing With the Stars.

Season 28: Mary Wilson

Mary Wilson at the Project Angel Food Awards Gala in September 2019
Kathy Hutchins / Shutterstock.com

Singer and founding member of the Supremes Mary Wilson came in 12th place on her season. She did at least get to dance to her hit "Baby Love."

Season 29: Charles Oakley

Charles Oakley at the premiere of "BMF" in September 2021
Prince Williams/FilmMagic via Getty Images

Former NBA player Charles Oakley was eliminated first of 15 competitors in Season 29. He's been retired from the sport since 2004.

Season 30: Martin Kove

Martin Kove at the premiere of "John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum" in May 2019
Kathy Hutchins / Shutterstock.com

The most recent person to leave first on DWTS is Martin Kove, who was on Season 30, which is airing now. Fans remember Kove best for his role as John Kreese in the Karate Kid franchise.

RELATED: The Worst Dancing With the Stars Contestants Ever, According to the Pros.

Lia Beck
Lia Beck is a writer living in Richmond, Virginia. In addition to Best Life, she has written for Refinery29, Bustle, Hello Giggles, InStyle, and more. Read more
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