‘DWTS’ Winner Bobby Bones Returns Mirrorball Trophy Over ‘Hurtful’ Insult From Tom Bergeron

Dancing With the Stars champion Bobby Bones has returned his Mirrorball Trophy after a “hurtful” comment from the ABC dance competition’s former host, Tom Bergeron.

Bones’ Season 27 win alongside pro partner Sharna Burgess is widely regarded as the show’s most controversial, as he defeated the runner-up, actor Milo Manheim, based largely on fans’ votes.

It was that moment that Bergeron told Parade in a recent interview was the most shocking he experienced during his 15-year run on the show. “It’s funny you’re asking about eliminations,” Bergeron told the outlet. “The thing that shocked me most was a win. Bobby Bones.”

“It’s like Andy Richter this season,” he continued of the ongoing 34th season of DWTS, which, thanks for fans’ votes, saw fan-favorite Richter make it further in the competition than the comedian expected. “He’s charming and has such a big heart. Do I think he’s going to win? No. Do I think he’s bringing a quality to the show that epitomizes what the show is? Absolutely. But Bobby Bones was the first time it was like, ‘Ouch.’ No disrespect to Bobby. He would probably say the same thing.”

Bones did feel disrespected, however, taking to TikTok on Wednesday to reveal Bergeron’s comments had “hurt” his feelings. “I try not to get my feelings hurt, especially about stuff like this, but this was hurtful. Not because of what was said, but who said it,” the radio host said.

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“It’s crazy, the amount of hate I get. Even from people I respect, like Tom Bergeron,” he went on. “And [DWTS co-host] Julianne Hough, which I don’t know her. But I feel like a sixth grader and all the ninth-grade dancing kids are shoving me in lockers.”

Bones defended his run on Season 27, asking, “They asked me to go on the show to promote. Am I supposed to not show up and work hard? Am I supposed to give it freaking everything that I have? Am I supposed to throw it and not win?”

“Like was I supposed to show up and go, ‘Well, since I didn’t have any training as a kid, I should just not win this competition,’” he continued. “What did I do? I had a great attitude. I worked hard and here we are, six years later, I’m still catching strays out of nowhere.”

Bones said that comments about his win from people on DWTS have “taken all the joy” away from his time on the show, so he decided to send his Mirrorball Trophy back to ABC.

“I sent the trophy back,” he said. “They don’t want me to be a part of the show obviously so I don’t want to be somewhere that doesn’t want me to be there. I sent the trophy back to ABC. I no longer have the Mirrorball Trophy. I loved my time there.”

Bergeron has since apologized for his statement, sharing a screenshot of a message he sent to Bones on Instagram soon after.

“Bobby, it wasn’t my intention to hurt your feelings,” he wrote. “My ‘ouch’ was based on my honest feeling that your win spoke to a need to address the balance between judge and viewer voting. I always felt bad that you and Sharna had to deal with the aftermath of that win and I certainly regret pouring any salt wound.”