Season 28 of DWTS has had some major shakeups. No live audience because of COVID, the cast had to quarantine and get tested before the season began—and Tyra Banks replaced Tom Bergeron and Erin Andrews as the sole host (after signing on as a producer and negotiating a few major changes).
Longtime fans of the show have voiced their frustration online, to the point where Tyra addressed it herself. She told USA Today, "They have to be angry at somebody. I even told the team today on the group call, I was like, 'They're gonna be mad at me and, you guys, I'm taking it for the team. It is what it is."
When country-radio host Bobby Bones was announced as the season 27 Dancing With the Stars winner, jaws dropped. His unexpected win caused a major uproar. Even Neil Patrick Harris took to Twitter to express his feelings: “Dancing with the Stars just confirmed why I don’t watch Dancing with the Stars.” Yes, Bobby’s dancing was mediocre and his scores were relatively low, but he was entertaining.
Despite his win being called the biggest upset in DWTS history, he continues to brag about his Mirrorball trophy and expresses his gratitude to the fans who voted for him.
Season 28’s Dancing with the Stars winners Maks Chmerkovskiy and Meryl Davis are unforgettable—and not just because they won the Mirrorball trophy. The chemistry between the two was crushing during each week’s performance. Everyone wanted them to date—and dating rumors emerged after they were seen at a dinner with Val and his season-19-partner-turned-girlfriend, Janel Parrish.
Unfortunately, they never actually dated, but we are still obsessed with them and secretly wish they would’ve worked out.
After Bobby Bones’ unexpected win at the season 27 finale of Dancing with the Stars, many fans were infuriated. They believed ineffective voting methods were to blame. Bobby Bones, who wasn’t the most technical dancer, had received the majority vote—making him the rightful winner.
The show has since revamped the voting format in hopes to satisfy angry audience members. Judges are giving out more realistic scores, incorporating a “live fan vote,” and saving one couple from the bottom two each week. However, this season’s shocking eliminations proves that this too is a flawed method...
The current season of DWTS has had a number of unexpected eliminations—including the elimination of actor James Van Der Beek. He was considered a frontrunner in the competition and was expected to dance his way into the finale. And to make it even worse, he had relayed heartbreaking news just minutes before his departure: He and his wife, Kimberly Brook, had suffered a miscarriage.
The judges were put into an incredibly difficult situation as they had to choose to save either James or competitor Ally Brooke. In the end, they saved Ally, who landed in the bottom two three times. Needless to say, the fans were NOT happy.
Before becoming partners in life, Robert Herjavec and Kym Johnson were partners on season 20 of ABC’s Dancing with the Stars. Herjavec, a business tycoon, immediately fell for Johnson, his professional partner. Although they were eliminated on week eight, they left with something much more meaningful than a trophy—each other.
The couple tied the knot in July 2016, where they danced to Etta James’s “At Last.” They welcomed beautiful twins into the world in June 2018, and recently celebrated their third anniversary.
Jaleel White, the actor who portrayed the iconic Steve Urkel on the hit sitcom Family Matters, earned himself the nickname “Jerkel” during a controversial DWTS moment. It all started during a rehearsal. He accidentally stepped on partner Kym Johnson’s foot, and when she cried out, he lost his cool. He allegedly got in her face and called her an “idiot.”
He then turned to producers and complained about being paired with a “stupid” partner. Honestly, he deserved that unflattering nickname.
To say that the 2005 season finale of Dancing with the Stars was heated would be an understatement. Actress Kelly Monaco was competing against actor John O’Hurley for the treasured Mirrorball trophy. When Kelly and her partner won, jaws were on the floor. Instead of becoming angry, fans demanded a rematch.
ABC complied and scheduled a DWTS dance-off. Unlike before, this would be based solely on viewer votes. This time, O’Hurley won. The highly publicized rematch separated the winner and loser by only one percent of votes.
When social media model and influencer Alexis Ren and her partner Alan Bersten made their 2018 Dancing with the Stars debut, viewers were obsessed. Because fans are guilty of wanting a DWTS romance to emerge each season, they were over the moon when they saw the chemistry between Alexis and Alan. They had many sweet moments during and after their routines that left us wanting more.
After they placed fourth, they left the show as a couple. Sadly, they couldn’t make it work. A month later, the couple called it quits. They were cute while they lasted, although some fans accused the pair of showmancing just for votes.
In 2015, Mike Fleiss, the creator of The Bachelor franchise reportedly denied the season 11 Bachelorette star Kaityln Bristowe the opportunity to join Dancing with the Stars. He thought Shawn Booth, the man she was engaged to, should be her “only passion.” This was hypocritical because Nick Viall and Chris Soules—recent Bachelors who were also engaged at the time—got to dance on the show.
During a recent interview with comedian Nikki Glaser, she said “Mike Fleiss is a piece of s—. He is the creator of The Bachelor, and he hates women.” But she's finally getting her shot; on a special airing of her Bachelorette season during the pandemic, Chris Harrison told her her dancing dreams were finally coming true. She's now at the top of the leaderboard in season 28.
During season 24 of Dancing with the Stars, the four-time Olympic gold-medal winner Simone Biles clapped back to a comment made by the DWTS judges and host. Carrie Ann Inaba and Julianne Hough told her they’d like to see her smile more. And when Tom Bergeron asked her why she wasn’t smiling, she replied “Smiling doesn’t win you gold medals.” Iconic.
Although she didn’t win the Mirrorball trophy, many fans believed she deserved to. She was eliminated in the semifinals after receiving two sets of perfect scores, leaving the judges and fans in shock.
The 19th season of Dancing with the Stars was iconic. While there were many noteworthy celebrities competing for the Mirrorball trophy, actor and TV personality Alfonso Ribeiro emerged as a frontrunner. His charm and charisma were undeniable. And he and his pro dance partner, Witney Carson, were highly praised.
They impressed the judges week after week and were eventually crowned the champions! Alfonso recently revealed that he and the DWTS family still get together once a year for a “dancing” Thanksgiving meal!
During the most recent season of DWTS, supermodel Christie Brinkley had every intention of competing for the Mirrorball trophy with her partner Val Chmerkovskiy—until she fell and broke her arm during a rehearsal. Thankfully, her daughter Sailor Brinkley-Cook was willing to take her mother’s place.
Amidst the unfortunate situation, Sailor and Val won the hearts of fans. Her sweet smile, genuine personality, and tenacity were admirable. But TV personality Wendy Williams didn’t see it that way. She accused Christie Brinkley of faking an injury to get out of the competition. Sailor fired back and defended her mom!
Fans of Dancing with the Stars likely remember the frequent disputes between World Cup champion Hope Solo and professional dancer Maksim Chmerkovskiy. The two partners were almost always at odds—with one another or with the judges. But it wasn’t until Hope’s memoir was released, Solo: A Memoir of Hope, that she revealed the disputes that occurred behind the scenes.
She accused Maks of aggressively manhandling and slapping her during rehearsals. He quickly denied her allegations. When asked about their relationship, Maks stated “I don’t like her, and that’s the end of that.”
The talented and beautiful Julianne Hough got her start as a professional dancer on Dancing with the Stars in 2007. By 2014, she was sitting alongside the judges. But before joining Len Goodman, Bruno Tonioli, and Carrie Ann Inaba, many questioned her ability to be impartial—including Karina Smirnoff.
Julianne’s brother Derek Hough, who’s also a professional dancer, frequently competed on DWTS. The ethical dilemma was addressed when she said she would not judge her brother easier or harsher than any of the other contestants.
In 2012, Jon & Kate Plus 8 star Kate Gosselin was partnered with Tony Dovolani. The professional dancer, who had been with Dancing with the Stars for nine consecutive seasons, unexpectedly quit during Kate’s season. He admitted that she “wasn’t there for the right reasons.”
Executive producers called and begged him to stay. He reluctantly finished out the season and the couple ended in eighth place. Tony told Anderson Cooper in a 2012 interview that he needed “some professional help” after working with the reality TV mom.
Glee actress and professionally trained dancer Heather Morris was considered a frontrunner when she was announced as a contestant on season 24 of Dancing with the Stars. So when she and Maks Chmerkovskiy were the fifth couple to be eliminated, there was uproar.
Some fans believed she was too experienced for the show; before competing, she was a back-up dancer for Beyonce and a competitor on So You Think You Can Dance. Others were upset because she had just received the first perfect score of the season before being eliminated. Regardless, she got people talking.
Chaz Bono’s season 13 Dancing with the Stars casting caused quite the uprising. Some viewers accused ABC of pushing a "[LGBTQ+] agenda". Bono, who’s openly transgender, ignored the backlash, and Conrad Green, the executive producer of DWTS, defended Bono. He stated that DWTS aims to “reflect a broad range of the entertainment world in the casting of the show.”
Despite the backlash, he and his partner Lacey Schwimmer weren’t eliminated until the sixth week. LGBT Weekly praised Bono for being a symbol of hope and strength for the transgender community.
Season 23 of Dancing with the Stars had many memorable moments—including the crashing of Ryan Lochte’s debut. The competitive swimmer and Olympic medalist had a recently tarnished image. In 2016, Lochte embellished a story that he and his teammates were robbed at gunpoint during the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.
During the DWTS premiere, he and his partner Cheryl Burke were nearly attacked when two protestors stormed the dance floor to attack Lochte. Although the altercation wasn’t shown on camera, you could hear judge Carrie Ann Inaba yelling and host Tom Bergeron rushing to a commercial break. Luckily, no one was hurt and the two men were led away in handcuffs.
Thanks to his extensive musical theatre background, actor and director Juan Pablo Di Pace was a natural in the ballroom. When he and his partner Cheryl Burke were introduced at the beginning of season 27, they became a fan-favorite. They consistently received high scores and were constantly praised by the judges.
After dancing a perfect Argentine tango and salsa, fans were shocked to hear their names called during eliminations. They were cut at semifinals, which knocked them out of the running for the Mirrorball trophy. Carrie Ann Inaba stood up and yelled “wrong!” Len Goodman shook his head and said “There’s no justice here.”
In 2018, Dancing with the Stars debuted its first all-athlete season. Former Olympic figure skater Tonya Harding was one of the 10 athletes cast in the four-week season. Known for her alleged involvement in the 1994 attack on Nancy Kerrigan, Harding isn't loved by all—but her 2017 biopic I, Tonya did do justice to her disgraced reputation. It told her side of the story and changed many people's opinions of her.
Although this DWTS season was the shortest ever, fans still became attached to the featured athletes. Tonya, Adam Rippon, and Josh Norman were all named frontrunners in the competition. Unfortunately, Tonya and her partner Sasha Farber fell short and came in third place. Although it’s in the past, many fans still believe Tonya was robbed and that she deserved the Mirrorball trophy.
Like many other Dancing with the Stars couples, professional dancer Karina Smirnoff and actor Mario Lopez became a couple IRL after hitting it off during season three of the hit TV show. But unlike many, their romance lasted long after the show’s finale.
They went on to date for two years before calling it quits in 2008. Karina’s rep released a statement that said “The relationship wasn’t heading in the right direction.” Soon after, Mario admitted to cheating. He’s now married to Courtney Mazza and she’s married to Jason Adelman.
When Sarah Palin’s oldest daughter Bristol Palin was cast as Mark Ballas’ partner in season 11 of Dancing with the Stars, no one could’ve predicted her success. Despite her mediocre dancing and less than impressive scores, the activist and author remained in the competition until the finale.
Many fans were upset as more qualified contestants were sent home. And when she and Mark were awarded third place, fans lost it. Bristol returned for the all-stars season in 2012, where she was again paired with Mark. This time, they finished ninth—the justice fans deserve!
Thanks to Dancing with the Stars, Val Chmerkovskiy and Jenna Johnson are #relationshipgoals. The two professional dancers met through the reality TV show and became close friends before deciding to date in 2015. Johnson told US in an interview that her relationship with Val was almost unavoidable—“There’s something about the show, man. You’re so hands on. Dance is very physical.”
The DWTS couple traveled to Venice, Italy together during the summer of 2018, where Val proposed to Jenna. In April 2019, they tied the knot in a romantic ceremony in California.
When Grammy award-winning singer and songwriter Michael Bolton made an appearance on season 11 of Dancing with the Stars, a particular judge made him feel like he should retreat back to his recording studio. While Michael Bolton wasn’t the best dancer that season, judge Bruno Tonioli was unnecessarily negative toward his jive.
He called it “the worst jive in 11 seasons.” He then awarded him a three—an extremely low score. Despite this controversial moment, Bolton is still a fan of DWTS, he just believes Bruno needs to do some serious soul-searching.
Fifth Harmony singer Normani Kordei was a frontrunner during season 24 of Dancing with the Stars. Despite the fact that she had the highest average score of all the contestants, she and her partner Val Chmerkovskiy finished in third place.
Because fans thought she would take home the coveted Mirrorball trophy, her loss during the Dancing with the Stars finale came as a shock. Fans in the ballroom even booed when her name was announced.
Janel Parrish, best known for her starring role as Mona on Pretty Little Liars, was in the midst of a messy breakup when she met her season 19 DWTS partner Val Chmerkovskiy. After weeks of dancing together, fans couldn’t help but wonder if their partnership had turned romantic.
They shared a few kisses on camera and reportedly went on a couple of dates together, but as soon as the season ended, so did the romance rumors.
Let’s rewind back to season four of Dancing with the Stars. Professional dancer Cheryl Burke was partnered with Beverly Hills, 90210 star Ian Ziering. Although the couple advanced all the way to the semifinals, Cheryl later revealed that she hoped they would be eliminated much sooner.
During a podcast via TMZ, she confessed that her “least favorite partner would be Ian Ziering.” Eighteen seasons of DWTS and she had never felt like this. She admitted that the show concealed his authentic self. Cheryl cried to executives and begged to be eliminated, but they said it would be unfair.
If you’ve been watching the current season of Dancing with the Stars, you were witness to Sean Spicer’s painful performances. The former White House press secretary made a statement when he performed his first dance, a salsa, in a ruffled, lime-green blouse. Unfortunately, it didn’t distract from his dreadful dancing.
To the dismay of many, Spicer endured nine weeks of choreography and harsh critiques as more qualified contestants were eliminated. Although DWTS viewers threatened to boycott ABC after casting Spicer, he clearly had a loyal following of voters who kept him in the running for so long.
Shortly after celebrity chef Paula Deen was sued for racial discrimination, ABC announced she would be joining the cast of Dancing with the Stars for its 21st season. Unfortunately, Paula no longer seemed like sugar, spice, and everything nice. Fans were outraged that DWTS would allow her to participate.
Many believed this decision excused her inexcusable actions. Nevertheless, she had the opportunity to dance her way back into America’s good graces. But despite her valiant efforts, she and her partner Louis Van Amstel were the fourth couple to be eliminated.
