14 Australian celebrities traded their day jobs for the dance floor in the 2023 season of Dancing with the Stars.
Coming from all industry areas – including stage, screen, track, and kitchen – each week, they’ll go head to head in hopes of winning the prized mirrorball trophy.
For five weeks, the contestants tried their hand at various ballroom styles, but ultimately it was Human Nature vocalist Phil Burton who took home the highly coveted mirrorball trophy.
WATCH NOW: Dancing with the stars 2023 sneak peek. Article continues after video.
Taking to his Instagram account momentarily after his on-screen win, Phil and his professional dance partner Ashleigh Hunter shared a joint post, highlighting their excitement.
“I can not believe it 😱 Thank you @philburtonofficial for being my dream partner. You are an incredible talent and I am so grateful to have had this amazing @dancingau experience with you ❤️ #TeamPhlash all the way baby 🏆”
After learning he had won, the 49-year-old also told the camera that he had had the “time of his life” whilst competing on Dancing with the Stars.
“And, you know, it is a competition but it doesn’t feel like it when you are out here and you are with all these amazing people.”
“It’s been an absolute joy to be a part of it.”
Scroll on for every celebrity who was eliminated from Dancing with the Stars (and in what order) this season.
Matt Preston
Both placed in the bottom two, Matt Preston and former AFL star Gavin Wanganeen were set to dance off to decide who would be sent home later in the evening.
Much to the surprise of the judges, Matt called his night early with an announcement of his forfeit.
“I’ve loved everything about this but my ankle is cooked,” he said.
“I can’t dance again tonight. So what I want to do is to concede and give the win to Gavin and to Megan who did brilliantly today.”
The 61-year-old revealed that, during his first rehearsal, he had injured a tendon in his ankle.
WATCH: Matt Preston quits Dancing with the Stars. Article continues after video.
In conversation with TV Week, the ex-MasterChef judge also admitted he was initially worried about this early injury.
“My immediate reaction was, ‘Oh, I can’t do it now,'” he told New Idea’s sister publication.
After the episode aired, he also took to Instagram to share his gratitude for the experience.
“Thank you to everyone who supported me and @jessraffa.dancefit on @dancingau We made friendships and memories that will last a lifetime. You can’t ask for more than that really 🕺💃.”
Charlie Albone
HG’s gardening expert Charlie Albone traded his landscaping tools for dancing shoes for the twentieth season of DWTS.
As a self-admitted ‘non-dancer’, the TV personality jumped into his Dancing with the Stars journey with a heartwarming mission.
In conversation with WHO, he spoke about his motivations for joining the show.
“I wanted to show my boys that they can do stuff that they aren’t necessarily the best at – what’s important is you give it a go and have some fun,” he said.
With a healthy dose of humour accompanying the extent of his dance ability, after his elimination, the 41-year-old penned a hilarious caption to a performance blooper reel.
“I was a bad dancer at the beginning of this and I’m still a bad dancer now, but at least I had a crack. @dancingau was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done and I went into this wanting to show my two boys that you should challenge yourself to try things you know will be difficult, don’t shy away from them, as you never know what might happen.”
“To pick yourself up and have another go even when you’re the bottom of the pack was a lesson I was also more than happy to teach them and yes I may have failed at dancing but I improved (just) and they saw how hard that was to do but also how good it felt – if Instagram is still a thing when you boys start using it I hope you read this and remember the time you saw Dad nearly drop a dancer on her head whilst wearing a fluro tiger print see-through singlet and it inspires you to tackle anything and everything life throws at you 🕺. See you on Dancing With The Stars All-Stars 😂🥴”
Gavin Wanganeen
Former AFL player Gavin Wanganeen was the third contestant eliminated from Dancing With The Stars Australia, Season 20.
His dance partner, Megan, took to Instagram following their elimination: “Well done @gavinwanganeen4,” she wrote.
“Couldn’t be prouder of you…what an improvement from week 1!”
“Thank you for being such a wonderful partner through this experience and always giving your absolute all. I hope you start classes with your beautiful wife @pippawanganeen and keep your dance journey going x”
Issa Schultz
Issa was clearly a fan favourite this season and fans were devastated when he became the fourth contestant to be eliminated during the season.
Fans flooded The Chase star’s Instagram page with comments of support following his last dance.
“Loved you both 😢 was hoping you’d win,” wrote one user.
“You two were absolutely amazing and I think so underscored,” wrote another.
“You bought so much fun and funk to the dance off…you both rocked.”
James Magnussen
Retired Olympic Swimmer James Magnussen was also eliminated during the cut-throat semi-finals following his Viennese Waltz.
“So incredibly proud of this performance,” shared dance partner Natalie Lowe.
“So graceful and elegant. Amazing Viennese Maggie you were beautiful to dance with.”
Sally Pearson
Olympian Sally Pearson and dance partner Mitch Kirkby were the first of three teams to be eliminated in the second semi-final. scoring 31, nine points behind leaders Virginia Gay and Ian Waite who performed the Foxtrot.
Prior to taking her final spin on the dance floor with a ferocious tango, Sally shared her excitement about her performance on her Instagram account.
“I love this dance and I was really proud of how @mitch.kirkby and I delivered it,” Sally wrote.
“It took some guts from me to really come out of my shell to perform it how it needed to be performed. It’s a strong and powerful dance. I hope you enjoy it.”
Pia Miranda
Alongside fellow eliminee Laura Byrne, Pia was made to compete in a dance-off to secure the last remaining spot in the finale.
Unfortunately for the pair of them, it was actress Christie Whelan Brown and her dance partner Craig Revel Horwood who secured the final spot.
Shortly after her on screen elimination, Pia took to her Instagram, opening up about her experience with her almost 40,000 followers.
“Look mum…jazz hands!!! ⭐️✨🌟 😃 I loved our swan song so much 🤗 Thanks for having me @dancingau – I had the time of my life 💛💛💛.”
Laura Byrne
Unfortunately for Laura, following a night of star studded Foxtrot, Cha Cha, Tango, Samba and Paso Doble, her and dance partner Danil Saveliev were sent home.
Whilst the episode was airing, Laura took to her Instagram story with a candid admission: “Guys, that Cha Cha was the single most terrifying moment of my life.”
