'DWTS' pro Koko Iwasaki says Matt Walsh didn't deserve bad scores

The pair were the first couple eliminated for season 32.

September 28, 2023, 1:27 PM

Koko Iwasaki is reflecting on her journey with her celebrity partner Matt Walsh on "Dancing with the Stars" season 32.

The pro dancer and the "Veep" alum were the first couple eliminated during this week's premiere after earning a 12 for their cha cha set to "Poison" by Bell Biv DeVoe.

"Matt. A true class act. Our journey was cut short but boy did we go through a lot in this amount of time," she wrote in a heartfelt Instagram post shared Wednesday.

"I'm so proud of you and so proud of our dance. You went out there and performed a beautiful classic cha cha and gave the audience a reason to smile," the "DWTS" pro continued. "I don't think you deserved those scores last night and I don't think it was your time yet but I know we will keep on dancing."

Iwasaki thanked Walsh for "being a great partner and the best student," noting how he asked questions about all styles of ballroom dancing and wanted "to learn the culture and the technique respectively."

"Thank you for teaching me a lot in return as well. It has been an honor to be around your energy and I will miss it every day," she concluded her post. "I gained the coolest friend out of this and that's the biggest win. Love you Matt!"

Walsh previously gushed about working with Iwasaki in the moments after they were eliminated during Tuesday's episode, saying, "Koko's the best. I had a wonderful time and it was a wonderful experience."

    "Dancing with the Stars" airs Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET on ABC and Disney+, and streams the next day on Hulu.

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