Harry Jowsey is speaking out against trolls who slammed his and Rylee Arnold’s most recent Dancing With the Stars performance.
On the Monday, October 24, episode of DWTS, the Too Hot to Handle alum, 26, and his professional partner, Arnold, 18, did a contemporary routine to Andy Grammer’s “Keep Your Head Up.” Their score was the lowest of the night, with judges ranking it an 18 out of 30. While the pair weren’t eliminated as fan votes count for half of the total score, Jowsey had a message for those who were writing rude social media messages to him and Arnold.
“I just want to say: Today has been extremely difficult. Poor Rylee is really upset. I’m really upset. I think we’re both equally devastated and upset about last night, ’cause it wasn’t our night, wasn’t our best dance,” Jowsey shared via his Instagram Story on Wednesday, October 25, which was later shared on a TikTok fan account.
“I just want to say a couple things: If you don’t have anything nice to say, please don’t say it,” he continued. “This is Rylee’s first season, I’ve never danced before. We’re learning, we’re figuring it out. That’s the point of this show — to have someone who’s never danced before, put ‘em on the world stage and tell them to try and figure it out.”
Rylee, who is former DWTS pro Lindsay Arnold’s younger sister, has been the subject of Jowsey’s frequent praise about the show.
“I love spending time with Rylee,” he said via his Instagram Story Wednesday. “She’s an incredible person, she’s an incredible woman, and it’s been such a joy to be with her. Anyway, I’m dragging this on, but if you see a nasty comment, just tell them to keep it to themselves. It’s just not very nice to read. It was just really difficult for both of us.”
Jowsey previously gushed to Us Weekly about his bond with Rylee.
“[Rylee’s]’s never in a bad mood and she’s always bubbly and brings me up when I’m feeling a little bit flat, or in my head about things, and knows when to sit me down and talk me out of whatever hump I’m in,” the reality star exclusively told Us earlier this month. “I feel like everyone needs that in a person in their life. She’s everything you could ever dream of.”
Rylee, for her part, revealed that while she “honestly wasn’t sure about what to expect” when she first met Jowsey, “He walks in the door [and] he’s the sweetest person you’ll ever meet,” she shared with Us. “So sweet, so fun to be around.”
As for his current relationship status, Jowsey told Us he’s “just focused on Rylee right now.”