Why Dancing With the Stars Pro Witney Carson Is Not Returning for Season 32

Witney Carson is hanging up her dancing shoes—at least for now.

The Dancing With the Stars pro announced she will not be returning for season 32.  

"This was not a decision that we took lightly at all," Witney, who is married to Carson McAllister, said in an Aug. 27 TikTok. "We definitely thought and prayed about it for a while. But we will not be doing Dancing With the Stars this season. And as much as that pains me to say, I just feel very at peace with it." 

Instead of two-stepping into the ballroom, they'll be keeping their focus on their sons Kevin Leo Mcallister (a.k.a. Leo), 2, and Jet Carson McAllister, 3 months—as well as settling into their new Florida home.

"You guys know that family is the most important thing to me, and we just felt like moving our entire family across the country right now was not for us," Witney continued. "Leo's at an age where he needs consistency and dependability and he hasn't had that ever since he's been born. So we're just really trying to give him that now. I also feel like I'm not quite mentally and physically ready for what the show calls for."

However, she'll still cheer the Dancing With the Stars cast on from afar.

"I love dance," Witney—who won season 19 with Alfonso Ribeiro and finished in third place with Wayne Brady last season—added. "That is my passion. And so, this was definitely a hard decision. But I will be rooting for everybody on the show. I cannot wait to watch."

And one day make her return.

"I definitely think this is just a break," she concluded. "I hope it's not a goodbye. But for now, we will be their no. 1 cheerleader watching. Love you guys!" 

As for who will be vying for the mirrorball trophy next season? DWTS previously announced that Vanderpump Rules' Ariana Madix and The Bachelorette's Charity Lawson will be competing on the show. The rest of the celebrities and pros will be revealed Sept. 13. Dancing With the Stars—co-hosted by Alfonso and Julianne Hough—returns to ABC and Disney+ this fall. 

Witney isn't the only one who's turned down Dancing With the Stars. To see more celebrities who've said no to the opportunity, keep reading.

Backstreet Boys Nick Carter finally got to show off his moves in season 21 after years of not being available. "I was approached for like 4 to 5 years in a row," he tells E! News. "Unfortunately, and fortunately, I was on the road with the Backstreet Boys touring and doing album cycles, so now that I have some time, that we're in between, I could take the advantage of doing it." 

Bindi Irwin, Australian TV personality and daughter of the late Crocodile Hunter Steve Irwin, also joined season 21. However, this wasn't the first time she had the chance to hit the dance floor. "I was approached once before, and I said, oh my goodness!" she tells E! News. "We were in the middle of our Crocodile research trip and it was all happening, so it worked out really well that we were able to join this season, so I'm thrilled to be a part of it."

After her daughter Rumer Willis won season 20 of DWTS, with her mom in the audience at almost every taping, Moore was close to joining the season 21 cast, sources told E! News, but she decided to turn down the offer.

Former champ Alfonso Ribeiro revealed to E! News that the show was interested in having the I Am Cait reality star compete for the trophy but that she said no, choosing not to follow in Kim Kardashian and Rob Kardashian's footsteps. 

The Mean Girls star was reportedly approached to do the show back in season 16 but said no. 

The controversial celeb chef had previously turned down the chance to dance two times before finally joining the cast in season 21, as E! News exclusively reported. 

"They did ask me," she told Extra in 2010, "and I said no."

Though several of her former Saved By the Bell co-stars have competed, Thiessen declined DWTS' offer. "I've been asked a few times," she once told The Huffington Post, "but my response to that is that I am an actor, not a dancer."

Paula Deen isn't the only celeb chef DWTS has courted. Flay said he also turned down the show, with the Food Network star once explaining to Zagat that he didn't want to "be known as that guy on Dancing with the Stars." Another reason? "My wife told me that she would divorce me if I did it." (He and ex-wife Stephanie March have since divorced.)

While sources told E! he said no to DWTS, he said yes to appearing on Celebrity Apprentice.

Though she went on to become a fan-favorite in the ballroom, the now-late actress originally said no to DWTS, tweeting she was "too chicken." 

The CBS This Morning host and Oprah Winfrey's BFF turned the the show down not once, not twice, but THREE times. "I think it's good to keep my public humiliation to a minimum," she told US Weekly. "I would never want to embarrass my children ever...or myself! I can't dance."

DWTS producers called in a favor to Alfonso when it came to the NYPD Blue star, asking the former champ to find out if he would join the show. Too bad it didn't work, as Ribeiro told E! News, his pal said, "Eh, I don't dance!"

The Oscar winner has vowed to never do the show. BUT she did admit there is a way they could possibly get her to join. "I'll tell you how I would do Dancing With the Stars," she once told E! News. "If they gave me a million dollars to give to charity...I would only do it if there was a big charity component. "

"No truth to the rumors of me doing Dancing With the Stars," Queen Latifah tweeted back in 2011. "Love the show though so I'll be watching just like you!" However, the Grammy winner has been a guest performer on the show.