Dancing With the Stars pro Witney Carson has opened up about the struggles she and her celebrity partner, Guillermo Rodriguez, faced in their final week before being eliminated from Season 35. Despite earning their highest score of the season on Super Bowl Night, the pair had a difficult time behind the scenes as they pushed through the competition.

Guillermo, best known as a sidekick on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, and Witney finished near the bottom of the leaderboard in previous weeks. However, their salsa to Bad Bunny’s Tití Me Preguntó earned them 22 points, their best score of the season. Judges Carrie Ann Inaba and guest judge Joe Buck each gave them a 6, while Derek Hough and Bruno Tonioli awarded them 5 points each.

Even with the improved score, the pair could not secure a place in the next round. They were eliminated during Week 5 after surviving four previous elimination rounds, ending a memorable run that saw the 55-year-old Guillermo take on ballroom dancing without any prior experience.

Witney, who was around 20 weeks pregnant with her third child during the competition, recently spoke about their final days on the show in an interview with E! News. She admitted that she never imagined competing on Dancing With the Stars while pregnant, but Guillermo helped make the experience possible.

“I never thought in a million years I would be competing on Dancing with the Stars 20 weeks pregnant, but Guillermo made it possible for me to do that,” she said. She added that watching what her body could accomplish each week was an empowering experience.

However, the physical and emotional demands became harder as the competition continued. Witney revealed that both of them were struggling toward the end of their journey.

“Towards the end there, we were both breaking down a little bit, but you know what? Women are amazing. It’s just a testament to what we can do and what we’re capable of,” she explained.

Guillermo was quick to praise his partner, saying, “She’s the best. Women can do anything they want.” His comments reflected the respect and appreciation the two developed while working together throughout the season.

Despite the difficult moments, Guillermo has no regrets about joining the show. Looking back on the experience, he described it as amazing and fantastic, even though the challenge turned out to be harder than he had expected.

He also said he enjoyed dancing every Tuesday and tried his best each time he stepped onto the ballroom floor. For someone who had never danced before, making it through several weeks of competition was an accomplishment in itself.

Guillermo is also hoping to stay connected with some of his fellow contestants now that his time on the show has ended. He revealed that they exchanged phone numbers and that he plans to meet Ezra Frech and Connor Wood for lunch. The group may also attend a Sacramento Kings game on Saturday.

Throughout Season 35, Guillermo and Witney became fan favorites by showing that a lack of dance experience or the challenges of pregnancy did not have to prevent someone from taking on a major challenge. Their Super Bowl Night performance, which included an impressive split from Witney during a lift, showed just how much they had accomplished together despite their struggles behind the scenes.

Although their journey has come to an end, the pair left the competition with new friendships, memorable performances and a story that inspired viewers. Dancing With the Stars airs Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.