TV Watch

Cameron Mathison Exits Dancing

11/14/2007 at 12:00 AM EST

It was the end of the road for soap opera actor Cameron Mathison Tuesday night at Dancing with the Stars. The All My Children stud was the eighth contestant eliminated from the competition.

It was no surprise to Mathison and his professional dance partner Edyta Sliwinska, who had begun to show signs of wear thanks to weeks of cross-country commuting between Los Angeles and New York, where AMC tapes.



"I don't know what I'm going to do with time off," Mathison told host Tom Bergeron. "Not one single bit of me wants to go home."

That's because Mathison had become a favorite among the cast and crew. Helio Castroneves, the last man standing in the competition for next week's semifinals, says he "lost my wing man. Cameron is the Super C! He's a really great guy and we're going to miss him."

"He's hilariously funny," Spice Girl Mel B. told PEOPLE. "I must find him to give him my number." (She succeeded!)

Sliwinska, who married fellow DWTS pro Alec Mazo in September, has spent most of her newlywed existence away from home. Still, she says, "I've loved every minute of dancing with Cameron. I'm truly proud of him. I never thought we were going to go so far."

Both admit, though, that they are excited about reuniting with their families. Soon Sliwinska will begin rehearsals for the winter DWTS tour. Meanwhile, Mathison will vacation for a week with his family – not to Disneyland – but to Nevis in the Caribbean, where he'll "play with my kids and re-introduce myself to my wife," he says.

And reflect on his accomplishment: "Dancing in front of 20 million on live television is one of the last things I thought I'd ever do a couple years ago," Mathison told PEOPLE after the show. "I am proud that I could dive into something that I knew nothing about, something I am very uncomfortable doing and with perseverance and hard work, I can become comfortable and grow. I know it sounds corny, but I'm really proud of that."

Four celebrities – Mel B., Castroneves, Jennie Garth, and Marie Osmond – will compete in next Monday night's semifinal round. –Monica Rizzo

Photo: CRAIG SJODIN/ABC