Erin Andrews is eliminated during ‘Dancing With the Stars,’ finale, finishes in third place

Erin Andrews eliminated during ‘Dancing’ finale

LOS ANGELES — Erin Andrews lasted 10 weeks on “Dancing With the Stars,” only to be dismissed during the show’s season finale.

The ESPN sportscaster and her professional partner, Maksim Chmerkovskiy, were eliminated from the ABC dance-off halfway through the two-hour season closer.

Olympic figure skater Evan Lysacek and singer Nicole Scherzinger remain in contention for the coveted mirrorball trophy. Each has one more dance to perform.

Tuesday’s action-packed episode featured back-to-back performances by the season’s finalists and past contestants.

Astronaut Buzz Aldrin danced in a bedazzled space suit that host Tom Bergeron joked was from “the NASA Liberace collection.”

“The Bachelor” Jake Pavelka danced with his betrothed, Vienna Girardi. Actors Shannen Doherty and Aiden Turner also returned to the dance floor.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP’s earlier story is below.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The “Dancing With the Stars” crowd practiced cheering inside the ballroom while a giant disco ball prop sat outside, waiting for showtime.

Only three points separated the three finalists as they moved closer to capturing the coveted mirrorball trophy Tuesday.

Singer Nicole Scherzinger and sportscaster Erin Andrews were tied at 55 points coming into the ABC show’s season finale. Olympian Evan Lysacek has 52 points.

But the score is only half the story: Viewer votes are combined with judges’ scores to determine the new “Dancing” champ, and fans could cast five votes each based on Monday’s performance.

The voting wrapped long before showtime Tuesday, when one of the finalists will take home the coveted mirrorball trophy.

Andrews, Lysacek and Scherzinger will each perform their favorite dance of the season to start the episode, and all chose the same dance: the tango. The two top-scorers will then face off with one final dance before the new champ is crowned.

The season’s previously eliminated stars — actors Pamela Anderson, Shannen Doherty, Niecy Nash and Aiden Turner, reality stars Jake Pavelka and Kate Gosselin, astronaut Buzz Aldrin and football star Chad Ochocinco — will return to the ballroom to close out the 10th season of the hit ABC show.

Online:

abc.go.com/shows/dancing-with-the-stars