Audrina Patridge and Tony Dovolani still surprised about 'Dancing' exit

Audrina Patridge and Tony Dovolani are still surprised they were eliminated from Dancing with the Stars on Tuesday night after they finished second on the judges' leaderboard during Monday's performance show.


"With what happened last night -- I still don't understand, and I'm really sad to be off the show," Patridge told Good Morning America during a Wednesday interview with Dovolani.

"I really honestly thought we had a good chance to be there in the finals, but to get cut this early, I'm still in shock. I don't really have any words to put to it because we've expressed so many emotions and we've worked so hard to get to this point," Dovolani added.

"I was hoping we were the third couple that would be in the mix but now it's not."

While they won't be walking away with the season's mirror ball trophy, Dovolani said he was still thrilled to have been paired with Patridge.


"I thought she did such an incredible job, she brought the intensity, she really performed really well for me, so there was not one week when I was unhappy. Every week I was happy with her, in fact, I had a blast this entire season, which is one of the main reasons why I'm actually sad that it ended," Dovolani said.

In addition, Dovolani suggested his pairing with Patridge went more smoothly than last season when partner Kate Gosselin presented him with a bit more of a challenge.

"After 10 seasons, being paired up with Audrina was like a breath of fresh air -- I was really inspired, I felt rejuvenated... She never really took it for granted. We left with a smile on our face, and I guess that's what's important," Dovolani said.

"But in Kate's defense, there was so much going on outside of the studio, that it was very difficult for her to focus.  It wasn't for the lack of wanting it -- she really did want to do well -- It was difficult in that sense."

Dovolani and Patridge said that any of the Dancing with the Stars' six remaining eleventh-season couples could end up as the competition's eventual champions -- especially if America continues to vote for the underdogs.


"Well it's very interesting. I know America is very attached to the underdog thing, but when it comes to this point in the competition, you've got to give the credit where the credit's due, and the people that are putting in the work week in and week out are performing and really impressing the audience should make it to the end," Dovolani warned.

"It should be an interesting show in the end, although you kind of want to push the underdog, this is where you have to start cutting them out."

Dovolani also offered his suggestions on who he thinks might win the competition.

"I pick [Brandy Norwood] -- I pick [Jennifer Grey] -- I think Brandy has been consistently great, so has Jennifer. So between those two, I think it will be very interesting," Dovolani said.

"It's going to be tough," Patridge added.


In addition, Patridge vowed the Dancing with the Stars ballroom won't be the last time she dances with Dovolani.

"I am going to keep dancing, and Tony said that he will teach me when he's in town. I definitely want to continue dancing -- I've developed this new passion that I never knew I had for dancing, so I want to continue it," Patridge confirmed.






About The Author: Elizabeth Kwiatkowski