Dancing With the Stars: 5 scandals explored

Dancing with the Stars (image via YouTube\ Dancing With The Stars)
Dancing with the Stars (image via YouTube\ Dancing With The Stars)

Dancing With the Stars has been around since 2005. The show partners up a celebrity with a professional dancer as part of the competition, where they compete for the Mirrorball trophy.

Occasional controversies have always come to be associated with the show over the years. Despite its widespread appeal, the show has seen its share of scandals involving judges, competitors, and even its hosts.

Fans can anticipate more enthralling performances and possibly more unexpected turns in the ballroom when the next episode of Dancing with the Stars airs on October 22, 2024.


Five controversial moments from Dancing with the Stars

1) Tom Bergeron and Erin Andrews ousted as hosts

Before the 29th season of Dancing With the Stars premiered, long-time hosts Tom Bergeron and Erin Andrews were abruptly fired in July 2020, causing a shake-up. Fans were particularly shocked by the announcement because Bergeron had been a part of the show since its beginning.

Bergeron announced the news on Bob Saget's Here for You podcast in October 2021, saying,

"The show that I left was not the show that I loved."

Tyra Banks was announced as the new host, a decision that elicited varied responses from both celebrities and spectators, expressing their emotions over Bergeron leaving the show.


2) Hope Solo vs Maksim Chmerkovskiy

When soccer player Hope Solo accused her dance partner, Maksim Chmerkovskiy, of physical abuse during practices in season 13, an uproar broke out. She described claims of being "manhandled" in her 2012 biography Solo: A Biography of Hope, alleging that Maksim hit her so forcefully that it left a red handprint on her stomach.

Chmerkovskiy refuted these accusations, referring to Solo as a “sh--ty person” in a 2015 interview and maintaining that her statements were untrue. The accusation not only cast a shadow over that season but also added to Chmerkovskiy's reputation as one of the more hot-headed professionals on the show.


3) Sean Spicer’s controversial casting

When former White House press secretary Sean Spicer got the opportunity to compete on Dancing with the Stars in season 28, tensions erupted. The choice to feature such a controversial political figure infuriated many fans, who even demanded boycotts of the program.

Spicer's presence disappointed host Tom Bergeron, who was still presenting. Bergeron said he had thought the show would be "a joyful respite from our exhausting political climate." Spicer's participation was further complicated by the fact that, despite the criticism, he survived several weeks of the competition, mostly because of fan votes rather than his dancing prowess.


4) Bobby Bones' surprise win

Many spectators and critics found it stunning that radio presenter Bobby Bones and professional dancer Sharna Burges won the Mirrorball trophy at the end of season 27.

Bones defeated more technically proficient competitors like Milo Manheim and Evanna Lynch, and he acknowledged that his fan base, not his dance prowess, was why he won. His win generated a lot of discussion regarding the voting process's impartiality, with many people wondering if the show put popularity before skill.


5) Carole Baskin’s casting backlash

Carole Baskin, star of Tiger King, was another contentious casting decision in season 29. Because of the continuing inquiry into the disappearance of her first husband, Don Lewis, Baskin's participation in the viral documentary series caused an uproar.

Even though Baskin advocated for animal rights on the show, her presence took center stage, and several viewers accused Dancing with the Stars of taking advantage of her fame to boost ratings. Although Baskin's run on the show was brief (she was removed in the third week), the controversy surrounding her selection had a profound effect.


ABC and Disney+ will broadcast the upcoming episode of Dancing with the Stars on Tuesday, October 22, 2024, at 8/7c.

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Edited by Shreya Das
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