Thursday, November 13, 2025 -Former Dancing with the Stars Season 27 champion Bobby Bones revealed that he returned his Mirrorball Trophy to the network following remarks made by former host Tom Bergeron about his win.
Bergeron had described Bones’s victory as the most shocking moment in the show’s history, saying, “The thing that shocked me most was a win — Bobby Bones.” Bones responded that the comments were hurtful, noting that it wasn’t necessarily what was said, but who said it that stung.
Bones explained that he didn’t initially want to join the show but did so at the request of the network, worked hard during his season, and felt he earned his win.
Despite this, he says he continues to receive negativity from people he once respected — including Bergeron and show judge Julianne Hough — and that the ongoing criticism “took all the joy” out of his time on the show. Ultimately, he said he sent the trophy back because he felt he was no longer welcome.
Later, Bergeron issued a public apology to Bones, saying his “ouch” comment was not meant to insult Bones personally but was meant to reflect concerns about the balance between viewer votes and judges’ scores.
He said he regretted any pain caused and acknowledged that the aftermath of Bones’s win was handled poorly. But for Bones, the damage was done — and the decision to return the trophy underscores his point that one should “go where you’re celebrated, not where you’re tolerated.”
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