Melissa Rycroft

Last updated
Melissa Rycroft
Born
Melissa Katherine Rycroft

(1983-03-11) March 11, 1983 (age 41)
Dallas, Texas, U.S.
OccupationCo-host of Morning Dose
Spouse
Tye Strickland
​
(m. 2009)​
Children3
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 and television personality. She has 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 competition shows such as Bachelor Pad and Redneck Island.

Contents

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 to 2008. As a cheerleader, she made regular appearances on Country Music Television's reality show Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders: Making the Team . She also appears on the judging panel for the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders auditions and is also a showmanship mentor to the training camp candidates . [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/SongJudges' scoreResult
InabaGoodmanTonioli
1 Foxtrot/ "Big Spender"777Safe
2 Jive / "Shout"887.5Safe
3 Samba / "Conga"999Safe
4 Jitterbug / "This Cat's On A Hot Tin Roof"999.5* / 9.5Safe
5 Tango / "Toxic"
Team Freestyle (Shawn) / "Call Me Maybe"		9
9.5		9
10		9
10		No Elimination
6 Viennese Waltz / "Why Ya Wanna"9.51010Safe
7 Tango & Cha-Cha-Cha / "Die Young"
Swing Marathon / "Do Your Thing"		10
Awarded		9.5
10		9.5
Points		No Elimination
8 Quickstep / "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy"
Paso Doble (Trio Challenge) / "Rumour Has It"		10
10		10
10		10
10		Safe
9 Hustle / "Walk the Dinosaur"
Argentine Tango / Dirty Diana 		9
10		9.5
10		9
10		Safe
10 Samba / "Conga"
Freestyle / I Was Here
Instant Samba / "Life Is A Highway"		10
10
9.5		10
10
9.5		10
10
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. [12] [13] [14]

Related Research Articles

<i>The Bachelor</i> (American TV series) American reality television series on ABC

The Bachelor is an American dating and relationship reality television series that debuted on March 25, 2002, on ABC. For its first 25 seasons, the show was hosted by Chris Harrison. As the essence of the original The Bachelor franchise, its success resulted in several spin-offs including The Bachelorette, Bachelor Pad, Bachelor in Paradise, Bachelor in Paradise: After Paradise, The Bachelor Winter Games, The Bachelor Presents: Listen to Your Heart, The Bachelor: The Greatest Seasons – Ever!, The Golden Bachelor, and The Golden Bachelorette, as well as spawning many international editions of the shows.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders</span> NFL cheerleader squad

The Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders are the National Football League cheerleading squad representing the Dallas Cowboys team.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tony Dovolani</span> Albanian-American ballroom dancer, instructor, and judge

Driton Dovolani, commonly known as Tony Dovolani is an Albanian-American professional ballroom dancer, instructor and judge. He is known for his involvement in the American version of Dancing with the Stars on ABC. Dovolani also portrayed Slick Willy in the hit film Shall We Dance? and spent time coaching actress Jennifer Lopez.

Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders: Making the Team is an American reality television series that premiered in 2006 on CMT. The series follows the auditioning process and the forming of the Dallas Cowboys' annual Cheerleading squad. The series features director Kelli McGonagill Finglass and choreographer Judy Trammell.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rachel Lindsay (television personality)</span> American media personality and attorney (born 1985)

Rachel Lynn Lindsay is an American media personality, attorney and podcaster. She is best known for her role as a contestant on the twenty-first season of ABC's The Bachelor and as the lead of its spinoff, The Bachelorette, in its thirteenth season. She was the first African-American lead in the Bachelor franchise. She was a correspondent for Extra from 2020 to 2023, and is a co-host of the Higher Learning podcast alongside Van Lathan on The Ringer platform. Lindsay was also a partial owner of the FCF Shoulda Been Stars Indoor Football Team.

Kelli McGonagill Finglass is the current director of the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders. She is also a former member of the squad. She appears in and is an executive producer of the CMT former reality series Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders: Making the Team.

Jason Scott Mesnick is an American television personality, account executive, and realtor. He was the runner-up on season 4 of The Bachelorette and was featured on season 13 of The Bachelor.

<i>Dancing with the Stars</i> (American TV series) season 8 Season of television series

Season eight of Dancing with the Stars premiered on Monday, March 9, 2009, on the ABC network.

<i>The Bachelor</i> (American TV series) season 13 Season of television series

The thirteenth season of ABC reality television series The Bachelor premiered on January 5, 2009, and featured 32-year-old single parent Jason Mesnick from Kirkland, Washington. Mesnick was the runner-up of season four of The Bachelorette featuring DeAnna Pappas. He became the second former The Bachelorette suitor to compete on The Bachelor since Bob Guiney of season 1 of The Bachelorette and season 4 of The Bachelor.

<i>The Bachelorette</i> (American TV series) season 5 Season of US television series

The fifth season of the ABC reality television series The Bachelorette began on May 18, 2009, with a two-hour premiere. The show features 29-year-old Jillian Harris, an interior designer from Peace River, Alberta, Canada. Harris is the first Canadian Bachelorette in the US franchise. She finished in third place on season 13 of The Bachelor featuring Jason Mesnick.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">DeAnna Pappas</span> American television personality

DeAnna Marie Stagliano is an American television personality best known for her participation in season 11 of the ABC reality television show The Bachelor, and season 4 of The Bachelorette.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jake Pavelka</span> American television personality (born 1978)

Jacob Lynn "Jake" Pavelka is an American television personality, pilot, actor, and model who appeared on six reality TV programs, most notably The Bachelor. He is also the CEO of the company "Rhino Removal".

<i>Jason Castro</i> (album) 2010 studio album by Jason Castro

Jason Castro is the self-titled debut studio album recorded by Jason Castro. The album was released on April 13, 2010.

<i>Bachelor Pad</i> American reality television game show

Bachelor Pad is an elimination-style two-hour American reality television game show that debuted on August 9, 2010 on ABC. The show features contestants from The Bachelor and The Bachelorette, who compete for a final cash prize of $250,000. Former game show host and news anchor Chris Harrison reprises his role from The Bachelor, while Melissa Rycroft served as special guest co-host for the first season.

Judy Tharp Trammell is the current head choreographer of the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders. She is also a former member of the squad. She appears in the CMT reality series Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders: Making the Team.

Sean Thomas Lowe is an American reality TV personality and author, best known for his role on the seventeenth season of ABC's The Bachelor, which he earned by becoming the fan favorite during his time on the eighth season of The Bachelorette with Emily Maynard, where he placed third.

Catherine Lowe is an American graphic designer, reality television star and the winner of the seventeenth season of ABC's The Bachelor. She is married to the former bachelor, Sean Lowe.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kaitlyn Bristowe</span> Canadian television personality (born 1985)

Kaitlyn Dawn Bristowe is a Canadian television personality best known for being a contestant on the nineteenth season of ABC's The Bachelor, and as the lead on the eleventh season of The Bachelorette. She competed on season 29 of Dancing with the Stars, with partner Artem Chigvintsev, and was declared the winner on November 23, 2020.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gabby Windey</span> American television personality

Gabriela Maria Windey is an American television personality who appeared on season 26 of The Bachelor, and co-starred in season 19 of The Bachelorette alongside Rachel Recchia.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Melissa Rycroft Biography: Reality Television Star, Athlete, Writer (1983–)". Biography.com (FYI / A&E Networks . Retrieved January 3, 2016.
  2. ↑ "Sonya Sorich: Examining the sorority bond of sisterhood".
  3. ↑ "List of Sororities - Niche Ink". Archived from the original on 2018-06-12. Retrieved 2015-05-12.
  4. ↑ "ABC reveals identities of 'Bachelor's thirteenth season bachelorettes". realitytvworld.com. 2008-12-18. Retrieved 2016-01-01.
  5. ↑ "It's Official: Bachelor's Jason And Molly Get Hitched!". People . February 27, 2010. Archived from the original on January 9, 2011.
  6. ↑ "Seven Questions with Melissa Rycroft of Dancing with the Stars; Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of June 10, 2013) - SitcomsOnline.com News Blog".
  7. ↑ "Melissa & Tye". IMDb. Retrieved October 13, 2019.
  8. ↑ "YEA Networks Put Melissa & Tye In A Podcast". All Access. November 8, 2018. Retrieved November 8, 2018.
  9. ↑ Redneck Island: Battle at the Lake Premieres Jan. 28 CMT, Retrieved January 1, 2016.
  10. ↑ "Gary Striewski and Melissa Rycroft bid farewell to Morning Dose". CW33 NewsFix. June 1, 2018. Retrieved August 21, 2018.
  11. ↑ "Melissa Rycroft: My Split From Tye Strickland Was Worse Than Jason Mesnick (EXCLUSIVE) - Celebuzz". 27 June 2012.
  12. ↑ "Melissa Rycroft Welcomes Daughter Ava Grace". Archived from the original on 2015-11-09. Retrieved 2015-11-04.
  13. ↑ "Melissa Rycroft Welcomes Son Beckett Thomas". Archived from the original on 2015-12-06. Retrieved 2015-11-04.
  14. ↑ "Melissa Rycroft Welcomes Son Cayson Jack – See His First Photo". Archived from the original on 2017-03-26. Retrieved 2016-05-19.
Awards and achievements
Preceded by Dancing with the Stars (US) winners
Season 15
(Fall 2012 with Tony Dovolani)		Succeeded by
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.