Dancing With the Stars winner Bobby Bones is defending his title after Julianne Hough called him “not the best dancer.”
Hough, 36, a cohost and former dance pro on the show, shared her true feelings about Bones, 44, during the Sunday, August 18, edition of What What Happens Live With Andy Cohen. When a viewer asked whether there’s ever been a winner Hough has “strongly disagreed” with, Hough’s fellow guest star Mickey Guyton quickly chimed in, naming Bones.
“I actually agree with you,” Hough told Guyton, 41, adding of Bones’ victory in 2018, “And I think it’s because of the fan base. It’s all about [the] fan base on that show. He was not the best dancer.”
On Monday, August 19, Bones posted a response via Instagram, calling Hough “awesome” and agreeing with her assessment of his talent.
“I was the worst dancer. I take pride in that,” he said. “Now, I tried as hard as anybody in the history of the show, but I can’t dance now, couldn’t dance then.”
“But you know who took down the big evil empire of dance? Well, it’s not evil or an empire, but me and you! We did it together,” Bones told his followers. “I’m the greatest champion ever. I didn’t say I was the greatest dancer, but the greatest champion ever. I’m the man of the people. I’m the man that you guys selected. But Mickey Guyton, what? Julianne Hough, you’re cool.”
He added, “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.”
Bones and ballroom pro Sharna Burgess won Dancing With the Stars season 27 due to the viewer vote despite earning lower scores from the judges than his fellow finalists. Disney Channel actor Milo Mannheim ranked second place, followed by Harry Potter actress Evanna Lynch in third and influencer Alexis Ren in fourth.
Hough competed on DWTS from season 4 to season 8 (which aired between 2007 and 2009) and later returned as a judge from 2014 to 2017. Her brother, Derek Hough, was also a pro partner on the ABC series for several years and is currently a judge alongside Bruno Tonioli and Carrie Ann Inaba.
During her WWHL appearance, Hough also addressed public perception of her career.
“I think because I do so many different things, I’m a bit confusing,” Hough acknowledged. “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. And I think by nature, everything that I do is storytelling whether it’s through my body or through my voice or through my acting.”