‘Dancing With the Stars’: Hannah Brown Apologizes for ‘Dismissive’ Comment to Judge Carrie Ann Inaba

Hannah Brown apologized to judge Carrie Ann Inaba during Monday’s live episode of Dancing With the Stars for coming off as “dismissive” during a video package that showed Inaba coaching her earlier in the week. In the package, fans saw that the former Bachelorette was at first open to Inaba’s help, even expecting her to push her extra hard after a season of critical comments, but things quickly got emotional when Inaba starting coaching.

“You’re doubting yourself, so you’re trying to cut it short. You have to show it off more,” Inaba said, referencing Brown’s hip action in the Rumba, as Brown got frustrated. “I know it’s hard, stay with me.”

“It’s fine,” Brown replied, as tears started to well in her eyes.

“I’m a judge, I can take it. Trust me,” Inaba pleaded. “I’m not here for any other reason but to help you.”

The judge then headed over to comfort Brown — who took a step away from her. “I don’t want to be touched,” she said.

Inaba said it made her “sad” to see Brown feel personally victimized, and eventually her comments got through to her, as she and partner Alan Bersten earned three nines for their redemption Rumba. Before co-host Tom Bergeron could get the judges’ feedback, Brown asked if she could say something to Inaba.

“I just want to say I am so sorry if it seemed like I was dismissive,” said Brown. “I had a really hard day that day. It was really emotional learning my contemporary [routine].”

“I didn’t handle my emotions very well,” she added. “I’m so sorry if it seemed like anything else.”

“I was never offended by that,” Inaba said, and the two shared a hug. “What I noticed is you improved a heck of a lot… I’m really proud of you, Hannah. Well done.”

After receiving their score of 27 out of 30, the former pageant queen told co-host Erin Andrews that she “never thought [the judges] were trying to attack me.”

“I want the critiques because I want to get better. I think it was just a compilation of everything I was going through that day, unfortunately,” Brown explained. “Carrie Ann had to come in at that time… I didn’t mean to come across any other way.”

Dancing With the Stars airs Mondays at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.