A former winner of a popular televised dance competition has publicly challenged another contestant’s recent assertion that she was forced to leave the program due to targeted harassment.
The controversy stems from comments made by a recent participant, a wellness personality, who stated in a social media broadcast that she and her professional partner were voted off because she was subjected to a campaign of bullying. She elaborated in a follow-up video, describing the alleged harassment as “coordinated and strategic,” and lamented the personal toll of such negativity.
However, a past champion of the show has offered a starkly different perspective. In a candid online video, the radio host and Season 27 winner acknowledged the intense, and at times harsh, nature of the program’s dedicated fanbase. He shared that he himself faced significant criticism during his time competing.
Yet, he firmly rejected the idea that bullying alone determines a contestant’s fate. “You don’t get bullied off the show,” he stated. “You get eliminated because people didn’t vote for you.” He pointed to his own experience, noting that despite facing severe backlash, he ultimately won because he had viewer support. He concluded that the elimination was a result of popularity, or a lack thereof, rather than harassment.
The wellness influencer had argued that the persistent online negativity misrepresents her character and has a damaging impact, a sentiment she expressed with emotion to her followers. The former champion, while critical of the “meanest fan base,” maintained a clear distinction between facing criticism and the fundamental mechanics of the competition’s elimination process.
