A popular radio personality has openly discussed the unconventional tactics he employed to claim victory on a major televised dance competition, acknowledging he circumvented official training limits.
During a recent podcast appearance, the host revealed that during his season, contestants were restricted to four hours of daily training with their professional partners. Feeling significantly behind other competitors, he took matters into his own hands.
“We would do our four hours, I would record the session, and then I’d go rent a studio by myself and train alone,” he explained. He described this extra, self-directed practice as “cheating” the system, undertaken because he felt he was at a distinct disadvantage from the start.
His journey on the show was marked by consistently lower judges’ scores compared to the other finalists, who were widely considered stronger technical dancers. However, his victory was ultimately secured by a massive wave of support from the viewing audience at home.
The win proved controversial, drawing criticism from a segment of the show’s dedicated fanbase and even commentary from a former professional dancer associated with the program, who publicly stated he was not the best dancer and should not have won.
In response, the champion defended his title on social media, drawing a clear distinction between dancing ability and competitive success. “I was the worst dancer. I take pride in that,” he stated. “I’m the greatest champion ever. I didn’t say I was the greatest dancer… because I’m the man of the people. I’m the man that you guys selected.”
The aftermath of his season led to a notable change in the competition’s format. Producers subsequently altered the voting rules, restricting audience votes to live broadcasts only and disallowing voting during the premiere episode of each season—a move some observers linked directly to his fan-driven triumph.
Reflecting on the experience, the host expressed gratitude for his professional partner’s tough coaching style, which he said he needed, and maintained fond memories of the competition despite the controversy. He stands by the effort he put in, even if the final result wasn’t what traditional judges expected.
