“The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives” star Whitney Leavitt had to call off her “Dancing With the Stars” giveaway Friday.
She and her “DWTS” partner Mark Ballas took to TikTok to tell her over 3 million followers that the couple’s giveaway that they had promised earlier in the week was not okayed by ABC and BBC — the respective network and producer of the show.
“This has come directly from ABC and BBC and is completely out of our hands,” Ballas said in the video.
A source with direct knowledge confirmed to TheWrap that Leavitt and Ballas’ giveaway “was not authorized” before being announced on her TikTok.
“It just really sucks because Mark and I just wanted to do something really special for you guys that have shown us so much support and love for us and the show,” Leavitt added.
Leavitt and Ballas said they plan to get creative to think of another way to show how grateful they are for their fans.
@whitneyleavitt we’re gunna get creative and find a way to make it up to you! 💕💗love you guys!
♬ original sound – Whitney Leavitt
For the duo’s original giveaway offer, they were going to fly out a dedicated fan and a guest and put them up for one night in Los Angeles to watch the “DWTS” Halloween live show next Tuesday.
“Why didn’t you ask lol,” one fan wrote in the comment section of her video, which has since received a quarter of a million likes and three million views.
Another fan comment read “it’s giving a bribe for votes,” which received over 25,000 likes. Though Ballas and Leavitt did not clarify the reason why the giveaway was not approved, fans made the connection that it could look like the couple was paying for votes.
“Dancing With the Stars” contestants are evaluated each week based on scores and viewer votes. The couple with the least combined of those two metrics is sent home. Ballas and Leavitt have scored in the top of the competition each week, but this giveaway gesture still could’ve been viewed as the “Mormon Wives” villain vying for some extra votes.
Some fans also wondered why 20-season veteran Ballas would not have known better, saying the request “felt sketchy from the beginning.”
For Halloween night next week, the couple will be dancing a jazz routine to “Brain Stew” by Green Day. Leavitt earned the first 10s of the season with her quickstep to “Popular” for “Wicked” Night.
