Melissa Rycroft
Melissa Rycroft | |
---|---|
Born | Melissa Katherine Rycroft March 11, 1983 |
Occupation | Co-host of Morning Dose |
Spouse |
Tye Strickland (m. 2009) |
Children | 3 |
Parent(s) | Bob Rycroft, Mary Rycroft |
Melissa Katherine Rycroft-Strickland (born March 11, 1983)[1] is an American television personality, host, and dancer. She is a former Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader. She participated as a bachelorette on the thirteenth season of ABC's The Bachelor, on the CMT reality TV series Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders: Making the Team, and on the eighth and fifteenth seasons of ABC's Dancing with the Stars. Rycroft went on to host reality-TV competition shows such as Bachelor Pad and Redneck Island.
Early life
Melissa Katherine Rycroft was born on March 11, 1983 in Dallas, Texas.[1] She studied dance from an early age and served as first lieutenant of her high school drill team. She majored in Marketing at the University of North Texas[1] after transferring from the University of Oklahoma where she was a member of Alpha Chi Omega.[2][3]
Career
Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders
After graduating from the University of North Texas, Rycroft auditioned for the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders. She danced for the team from 2006-2008. As a cheerleader, she made regular appearances on Country Music Television's reality show Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders: Making the Team.[1]
The Bachelor
Rycroft appeared on the 13th season of The Bachelor as one of the 25 bachelorettes competing for bachelor Jason Mesnick.[4] In the season finale, Mesnick chose Rycroft over runner-up Molly Malaney, and proposed. Shortly after the proposal, Mesnick left Rycroft, explaining he had feelings for Malaney. Mesnick and Malaney married in 2010.[5]
Dancing with the Stars
Rycroft first competed on season eight of Dancing with the Stars where she was partnered with Tony Dovolani[6] and finished in third place. She and Dovolani once again served as partners in the All-Stars season and were announced as the winners on the season finale. She later served as the host of the 2015 Dancing with the Stars live tour.[citation needed] She later returned in season 27 as a trio partner to Juan Pablo Di Pace and Cheryl Burke.
Dancing with the Stars Performances (Season 15)
Week # | Dance/Song | Judges' score | Result | ||
Inaba | Goodman | Tonioli | |||
1 | Foxtrot/ "Big Spender" | 7.0 | 7.0 | 7.0 | Safe |
2 | Jive / "Shout" | 8.0 | 8.0 | 7.5 | Safe |
3 | Samba / "Conga" | 9.0 | 9.0 | 9.0 | Safe |
4 | Jitterbug / "This Cat's On A Hot Tin Roof" | 9.0 | 9.0 | 9.5* / 9.5 | Safe |
5 | Tango / "Toxic" Team Freestyle (Shawn) / "Call Me Maybe" |
9.0 9.5 |
9.0 10.0 |
9.0 10.0 |
No Elimination |
6 | Viennese Waltz / "Why Ya Wanna" Group Country Western / "Save a Horse (Ride a Cowboy)" & "I Play Chicken with a Train" |
9.5 No |
10.0 Scores |
10.0 Given |
Safe |
7 | Tango & Cha-Cha-Cha / "Die Young" Swing Marathon / "Do Your Thing" |
10.0 Awarded |
9.5 10 |
9.5 Points |
No Elimination |
8 | Quickstep / "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy" Paso Doble (Trio Challenge) / "Rumour Has It" |
10.0 10.0 |
10.0 10.0 |
10.0 10.0 |
Safe |
9 | Hustle / "Walk the Dinosaur" Argentine Tango / Dirty Diana |
9.0 10.0 |
9.5 10.0 |
9.0 10.0 |
Safe |
10 | Samba / "Conga" Freestyle / I Was Here Instant Samba / "Life Is A Highway" |
10.0 10.0 9.5 |
10.0 10.0 9.5 |
10.0 10.0 9.5 |
Winner |
Melissa & Tye
In 2012, Rycroft and her husband Tye Strickland starred in their own reality show titled Melissa & Tye on CMT. The show ran for one season (eight episodes), from April 20, 2012 to June 8, 2012.[7]
Logically Irrational
Rycroft and husband Tye Strickland launched a podcast with YEA Networks on November 8, 2018. “Logically Irrational” delves into relationships, family, pop culture and Reality TV. Episodes release each Thursday morning on iTunes.[8]
Other shows
Rycroft is a host of CMT's reality-TV show Redneck Island.[9] Rycroft left the Tribune morning show, Morning Dose, on June 1, 2018.[10]
Personal life
Rycroft was briefly engaged to Jason Mesnick, whom she met on The Bachelor. Mesnick called the engagement off after he admitted he was in love with runner-up, Molly Malaney. Rycroft then reunited with a former boyfriend, salesman Tye Strickland.[11] The couple married and have three children: daughter Ava Grace, born February 16, 2011[12] and sons Beckett Thomas, born April 20, 2014,[13] and Cayson Jack, born May 18, 2016.[14]
References
- ^ a b c d "Melissa Rycroft Biography: Reality Television Star, Athlete, Writer (1983–)". Biography.com (FYI / A&E Networks. Retrieved January 3, 2016.
- ^ "Sonya Sorich: Examining the sorority bond of sisterhood".
- ^ "List of Sororities - Niche Ink".
- ^ "ABC reveals identities of 'Bachelor's thirteenth season bachelorettes". realitytvworld.com. 2008-12-18. Retrieved 2016-01-01.
- ^ "It's Official: Bachelor's Jason And Molly Get Hitched!". People. February 27, 2010. Archived from the original on January 9, 2011.
- ^ "Seven Questions with Melissa Rycroft of Dancing with the Stars; Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of June 10, 2013) - SitcomsOnline.com News Blog".
- ^ "Melissa & Tye". IMDb. Retrieved October 13, 2019.
- ^ "YEA Networks Put Melissa & Tye In A Podcast". All Access. November 8, 2018. Retrieved November 8, 2018.
- ^ Redneck Island: Battle at the Lake Premieres Jan. 28 CMT, Retrieved January 1, 2016.
- ^ "Gary Striewski and Melissa Rycroft bid farewell to Morning Dose". CW33 NewsFix. June 1, 2018. Retrieved August 21, 2018.
- ^ "Melissa Rycroft: My Split From Tye Strickland Was Worse Than Jason Mesnick (EXCLUSIVE) - Celebuzz". 27 June 2012.
- ^ "Melissa Rycroft Welcomes Daughter Ava Grace".
- ^ "Melissa Rycroft Welcomes Son Beckett Thomas".
- ^ "Melissa Rycroft Welcomes Son Cayson Jack – See His First Photo".
External links
- Living people
- 1983 births
- American cheerleaders
- American female dancers
- Dancing with the Stars (American TV series) winners
- National Football League cheerleaders
- Participants in American reality television series
- People from Dallas
- Reality show winners
- University of North Texas alumni
- Bachelor Nation contestants