Priscilla Presley Opens Up About 'DWTS' Experience: 'Could Not Wait to Get Kicked Off'
Priscilla Presley is sharing some insight into her less-than-ideal Dancing With The Stars experience.
Presley, 80, competed on season 6 of the ABC reality competition series in spring 2008. She was partnered with professional dancer Louis Van Amstel, and the couple placed 8th.
"I could not wait to get kicked off that show," Presley said during a Saturday, May 2, speaking engagement in Las Vegas. "I was so nervous because … my partner, who I liked very much, was in a new relationship with another guy."
"He was in a new relationship, and he wanted to get back home early," she continued. "He had a date, and he wanted to get this and that, and I was a little bit frustrated because he put that before us. I felt we could have done a lot better."
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According to Presley, she and van Amstel would only rehearse for three hours a day while other contestants would practice for six. Regardless, Presley said she gave 100% on the dance floor.
"I like challenges," she said. "I didn't know how to dance that well. I mean, I did like dancing, but I thought, ‘You know what, I'm gonna go in for it and do it, and I think it'll be fun.' Yeah, still nerve-wracking."
Van Amstel has not publicly addressed Presley's comments. He competed in seasons 1-3, 6, 9-12, 15, 21, and 31 of DWTS before retiring from the ballroom without a Mirrorball Trophy.
In November, he expressed a desire to return for the show's 35th season this fall.
"There was a side of me that said, ‘Hey, I might be OG but I ain't done,'" Van Amstel said via Instagram after participating in the show's 20th anniversary episode. "I want back in, I ain't done. So if I would ever be asked back to be on the show, season 35, I'd say yes in a heartbeat."
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This story was originally published May 6, 2026 at 7:53 PM.