A former champion of the popular dance competition has openly discussed the unconventional methods he used to secure his win. In a recent podcast appearance, the radio personality confessed to exceeding the strict practice time limits set for contestants, a move he humorously labeled as “cheating.”
The rules of the competition typically restrict celebrity participants to four hours of daily training with their professional partners. However, the host revealed he felt significantly behind other competitors. To bridge the gap, he would record his official sessions, then rent a private studio to practice alone for additional hours.
“I was so far behind everybody else,” he explained, acknowledging he spent time training “over” the allotted limit.
His victory in 2018 was a surprise to many viewers and judges alike. Throughout the season, he and his professional partner consistently received lower scores from the judging panel compared to the other finalists. The win was ultimately propelled by a massive wave of support from the viewing audience at home.
The outcome proved controversial, drawing criticism from a segment of the show’s dedicated fanbase and even commentary from a former professional dancer and judge, who publicly stated the winner was “not the best dancer.”
The champion has since embraced his underdog status. On social media, he declared himself the “greatest champion ever,” clarifying he never claimed to be the best dancer. He framed his win as a triumph of popular appeal, stating, “I’m the man of the people. I’m the man that you guys selected.”
The aftermath of his victory led to a notable change in the competition’s format. For the following season, producers altered the voting rules, restricting audience votes to live broadcasts only and disallowing voting during the premiere episode—a move widely seen as a direct response to his fan-driven win.
Reflecting on the experience, the radio host expressed gratitude for his professional partner’s tough coaching and maintained pride in his effort, despite his self-professed lack of dancing skill. “I tried as hard as anybody in the history of the show,” he stated, “but I can’t dance now and couldn’t dance then.”
