Dancing With The Stars Winner Criticized by Julianne Hough Fires Back

Julianne Hough received a sharp retort from a former Dancing With The Stars (DWTS) champion on Monday after claiming they were ‘not the best dancer’ that year.

The 36-year-old professional dancer, now DWTS co-host, made the comment on Sunday’s episode of Watch What Happens Live. The discussion began when host Andy Cohen fielded a fan’s question, asking Julianne if she ever “strongly disagreed with” any past DWTS winner. She hesitated initially, passing the question to her fellow guest Mickey Guyton, who spontaneously mentioned Bobby Bones, the very person Julianne had in mind.

On Monday, Bobby Bones, the 44-year-old country music radio host, addressed Julianne and Mickey’s remarks through a brief video on Instagram. In defense of his contentious victory, he argued that his win transcended mere dancing ability, dubiously labeling himself the “greatest champion” in DWTS history.

Speaking from his car, Bobby candidly admitted, “I was the worst dancer,” but found solace and even pride in that label. “Now I tried as hard as anybody in the history of the show, but I can’t dance now [and] couldn’t dance then,” he said candidly.

Bobby credited his win to a collective effort with the show’s audience, calling them out as instrumental in his triumph. “But you know who took down the big evil empire of dance — well it’s not evil or an empire — but me and you,” he said, giving credit to the voters who supported him and his dance partner, Sharna Burgess, over more talented competitors. “We did it together,” he stated, before declaring himself “the greatest champion ever.”

He continued, “I didn’t say I was the greatest dancer but the greatest champion ever because I’m the man of the people. I’m the man that you guys selected.”

Bobby even boasted about how his win forced DWTS producers to alter the rules for fan voting, making it more challenging for a less skilled contestant to win purely through fan support. He explained, “I’m a terrible dancer, I was a terrible dancer. But they changed the rules after I left because the fan vote was so good.”

According to Newsweek, these rule changes now prevent fans from voting on dancers in the first episode of the season. The strategy aims to mitigate the influence of large fanbases by allowing votes only during live broadcasts. This discourages orchestrated voting campaigns and makes it harder for fans to support a celebrity without watching their performance.

Despite his defensive video, Bobby made it clear that he held no personal grudge against Julianne, whom he described as “awesome” and “cool,” and noted they had met previously. On the other hand, he appeared to reserve some playful ire for Mickey Guyton, referencing their shared country music background with a jest, “Mickey Guyton, what the…”

The discussion around Bobby’s win began on WWHL when Andy Cohen asked Julianne a fan’s question about DWTS. “Julianne, Carter V. wants to know if there’s ever been a Dancing With The Stars winner that you’ve strongly disagreed with,” Andy posed.

Julianne hesitated, prompting Mickey to chime in, “I just said Bobby Bones.” Julianne concurred, adding, “I actually agree with you. And I think it’s because of the fan base. It’s all about fan base on that show. He was not the best dancer.”

Julianne and Mickey acknowledged Bobby was “great” on DWTS but agreed his fans were the primary reason for his victory. Bobby, who won season 27 with Sharna Burgess, earned lower judges’ scores than his fellow finalists—Evanna Lynch, Milo Manheim, and Alexis Ren—yet was awarded the Mirrorball Trophy through public voting, to the dismay of some viewers.

Notably, Neil Patrick Harris tweeted after the finale, “Dancing With the Stars just confirmed why I don’t watch Dancing With the Stars.”

During the segment on WWHL, Julianne was also asked about her best first date, reminiscing about a memorable time at the Santa Monica Pier, albeit without recalling her date’s name.

Andy inquired about her first date with ex Ryan Seacrest, to which Julianne revealed they had a private date at the Polo Lounge. She also reflected on her most challenging career experiences, emphasizing her diverse talents. “People are like, what does she do? Does she dance? Is she a singer? Is she an actor? What does she do? But I think I’m a storyteller.”

Julianne will return as co-host for DWTS season 33, airing in September on ABC and Disney+.

Source: Newsweek