Bobby Bones won his season of Dancing with the Stars. His win was unexpected, since other dancers were, simply put, better. However, the voting public stood behind Bobby. And their votes helped pull this radio personality through to the end, where Bobby ultimately walked away as the newest owner of a shiny Mirrorball Trophy.
However, Tom Bergeron just weighed in on Bobby’s surprising 2018 win. While Tom is no longer hosting DWTS, he was present during Bobby’s season. So, his recent statement bummed Bobby out. To help ease his sadness, Bobby returned his Mirrorball trophy and released a statement, slamming Tom for his “hurtful” comments. From his casting to his win to now, here’s how Bobby got to this point.
What season did Bobby Bones win DWTS?
Bobby won DWTS Season 27, but in the finale, he was the least skilled dancer present. So, how did Bobby win his season? Well, luckily for Bobby, he had a built-in fan base, thanks to his nationally syndicated country-music radio series, The Bobby Bones Show. According to CAA Speakers, his show has more than 5.1 million listeners each weekday morning, and these listeners saved Bobby from every elimination on DWTS.
But also, Bobby admittedly cheated. “I cheated … They give you a limited amount of time with your partner,” he explained. “Like, four hours a day, they say.”
He continued, “So we would do our four. I would record the session and then go by myself” to rent a studio for solo training sessions. “Like, illegally spent time over … because I was so far behind everybody else.”
Bobby does not believe that he was “in any way polarizing on the show, other than I sucked. I didn’t run out and [say], like, ‘I’m the best.’” However, his massive fanbase knocked out solid dancers left and right, which angered many viewers. So, after Season 27, producers made changes to the rules to help level the ballroom’s playing field.
Who was Bobby Bones’ partner on Dancing with the Stars?
Sharna Burgess was Bobby’s partner on DWTS. This stunning, leggy Pro is an Australian ballroom dancer who starred on this series for several seasons. As Sharna recalled on The Joe Vulpis Podcast, her win with Bobby “riled a lot of feathers.” But “in the moment, it was incredibly exciting because I had done that work, [and] I did my absolute best to get [Bobby] there,” she stressed.
However, after her controversial win with Bobby, followed by a changing of the guards (meaning the executive producers), things started getting “rocky” for Sharna. For two weeks straight, she received “hate” online, which made her wish that she and Bobby had never won. “People were saying, we ruined the show,” she emotionally recalled. And that “was really hard” for her, seeing as how all she did was her job.
But Bobby didn’t always make things easy. In the middle of one of their routines, Bobby broke free for an impromptu flossing session, disrespecting the choreography that Sharna had drilled into his brain the week before. Sharna took her job seriously and went with the flow, but the look on her face showed how annoyed she actually was with Bobby.
Why did Bobby Bones return his Mirrorball trophy after winning DWTS?
Tom just returned to his old DWTS stomping grounds to star as a guest judge in Season 34. Cue his press tour, including an interview he recently sat for with Parade. When asked about anything that might have shocked him during his former role on this series, Tom quipped, “It’s funny you’re asking about eliminations. The thing that shocked me most was a win. Bobby Bones.”
“It’s like Andy Richter this season,” because “He’s charming and has such a big heart. Do I think he’s going to win? No. Do I think he’s bringing a quality to the show that epitomizes what the show is? Absolutely, but Bobby Bones was the first time it was like, ‘Ouch.’ No disrespect to Bobby. He would probably say the same thing,” Tom said.
When Bobby heard about Tom’s statement, he went on TikTok, sharing, “I try not to get my feelings hurt, especially about stuff like this, but this was hurtful. Not because of what was said, but who said it.”
“It’s crazy the amount of hate I get, even from people I respect,” he added, but “Like what did I do? I had a great attitude. I worked hard, and here we are, like six years later, I’m still catching strays out of nowhere.”
So, Bobby “sent the trophy back. They don’t want me to be a part of the show, obviously. So I don’t want to be somewhere that doesn’t want me to be there,” he explained.
Tom has since apologized for his statement.
Dancing with the Stars is available to stream on Disney+.
TELL US – DO YOU REMEMBER WATCHING BOBBY ON DWTS? WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ABOUT HIS RETURNED MIRRORBALL TROPHY?
