Bobby Bones Reclaims His Mirrorball Trophy After Public Reconciliation

The tension began in late 2025 when Bones mailed the trophy back to ABC. His decision followed an interview where Bergeron cited Bones’ win as a surprising "ouch" moment for the show. Bones admitted the comment stung, particularly because he held the former host in high regard. The conflict was resolved this past March when Bergeron appeared on The BobbyCast to apologize, clarifying that his criticism was directed at the show’s voting structure—which heavily favored fan participation over technical judge scores—rather than Bones himself.

Bones’ win remains one of the most polarizing moments in the show’s history. Throughout the season, he and partner Shana Burgess consistently received lower technical marks than their competitors. Addressing these critiques, Bones later joked that he "cheated" by securing extra rehearsal space to compensate for his lack of natural dance experience, a practice that violated no show rules. With the trophy back on his shelf, Bones has moved past the controversy as the franchise prepares for its 35th season premiere on September 15.