Dancing with the Stars 2022: Eli Matthewson opens up about shock elimination

Comedian Eli Matthewson has opened up about being voted off the show. Photo / Supplied

Eli Matthewson is "devastated" after being voted off Dancing with the Stars on last night's episode.

Despite being in the top three couples this week and last week, Matthewson and his partner Jonny Williams were eliminated following their jive to That's What I Want by Lil Nas X.

Now Matthewson has told the Herald he woke up this morning feeling "devastated".

"I'm extremely sad but I'm very happy with what we did and I wouldn't change anything," the comedian said.

He described the moment he was eliminated as one of "full shock". "I thought I was out of danger, we'd been at the top of the leaderboard."

Matthewson and Williams made history on the show by appearing as Dancing with the Stars' first same-sex couple.

On Sunday night's episode, he revealed that when he came out to his dad at age 21, his dad in return came out to him - and the proud father talked about what Matthewson's same-sex pairing on the show meant.

The partnership with Williams was an "amazing display of allyship", Matthewson said - and he's received an "insane" amount of support from fans.

Eli Matthewson and Jonny Williams were voted off the show just four episodes in. Photo / Supplied

"I've had so many comments and messages from people, but maybe when it came to voting the urgency wasn't there."

The preparation that goes into each performance is gruelling for the dancers, and Matthewson said it feels like "whiplash" to have it all taken away.

"You've got to plan ahead, and we were planning to do a tango to a Beyonce song - it was going to be iconic."

But despite it all, he said he'd do it all over again "in a heartbeat".

His picks to win are Jazz Thornton and Rhys Mathewson. "I'm looking forward to seeing them go all the way."

He notes that even after his elimination, countless Kiwis chose to donate to Matthewson's charity of choice, OutLine, which provides mental health support for LGBTQIA+ Kiwis of all ages. According to Matthewson, that's what the show is all about.

A spokesperson for OutLine told the Herald that as of 2pm today, donations had reached $10,000.

Last night he told the audience he felt "lucky and privileged" to have appeared on the show.

"I couldn't have asked for anything better than to do it with Johnny. If we could do it all again, there's nothing I would change."

Head judge Camilla Sacre-Dallerup said: "I'm absolutely shocked and sad. If you'd asked me to predict the results yesterday, I would have said that Eli would be in the finale. He's shown so much talent and potential, I feel his journey has been cut short."

• Dancing with the Stars airs Sunday 7pm and Monday 7.30pm on Three and ThreeNow.