Julianne Hough says Bobby Bones did not deserve to win Dancing With the Stars season 27

Julianne Hough, a professional dancer, and current co-host of Dancing With the Stars (DWTS), has publicly voiced her disagreement with the results of season 27, where Bobby Bones emerged as the winner.

During her appearance on Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen on Sunday, August 18, Hough was asked if there was ever a celebrity contestant on the show whom she thought did not deserve to win. Initially, she hesitated, but fellow guest Mickey Guyton nudged her and suggested "Bobby Bones".

“Oh, I actually agree with you! And I think it’s because of the fanbase, right? It’s all about the fanbase on that show,” Julianne Hough explained.

She added:

“He was not the best dancer, I agree.”

However, Hough admitted that Bobby Bones had “great” fans who continued to vote for him during the show.

---

DWTS co-host critiques fan-driven victory of Bobby Bones

"Dancing With The Stars" Season 27 - October 15, 2018 - Arrivals - Source: Getty

Bobby Bones was crowned the winner of season 27 of the reality show with his dancing partner Sharna Burgess. However, his victory remained rather contentious since he was often given the lowest scores by the judges. As such, many fans have suggested that Bones's victory was because of his popularity than his ability to dance as expected in the competition.

The win was followed by a lot of controversy. Some of the criticism was that Bobby Bones, a radio host with no previous dancing background, scored significantly lower each week than other contenders such as Alexis Ren, Evanna Lynch, Milo Manheim, and even Jaimie.

Actor Neil Patrick Harris took to X to write:

“Dancing With the Stars confirmed my decision to not watch Dancing With the Stars.”

When confronted with this issue in a Good Housekeeping interview, Bones came out illustrating that he knew that he had been at a disadvantage as he lacked the skills and training.

“I think they [the judges’ marks and critiques] are fair. I don’t think they want me to win, frankly. I think the judges want somebody who came in with more dance experience to win,” he told the outlet in November 2018, referring to the then-judges Len Goodman, Carrie Ann Inaba, and Bruno Tonioli.

However, he noted:

‘‘That’s why the show is not just about the judges; it’s also about the people."

He added:

"I think the show hasn’t had a winner like me ever, and I don’t know what that means to them. So, I don’t think they want me to win, but that’s OK.”

Bones then proudly shrugged off the haters and even encouraged other contestants to do the same.

Last season, the radio host fired off a video only for Too Hot to Handle alum Harry Jowsey as he faced backlash from fans who called on ITV to boot him due to his low scores. The reality star was paired up with Rylee Arnold and exited the competition before season 32 ended.