Bobby Bones Says He 'Cheated' His Way to a 'DWTS' Season 27 Victory

Bobby Bones has revealed that his winning streak on "Dancing with the Stars" Season 27 wasn't just luck or viewer votes, admitting he "cheated" to catch up to the competition.

Bobby Bones has added a new layer to his Season 27 "Dancing with the Stars" triumph by openly admitting he found a way to get extra practice.

During an appearance on Jason Tartick's "Trading Secrets" podcast, the radio personality explained that while contestants are given a limited amount of time with their professional partners, he found a workaround.

"So we would do our four, I would record the session and then go by myself and rent a studio myself and train myself," Bones said. " Like, illegally spent time over… because I was so far behind everybody else."

Bones, 45, who had no prior dance experience before joining the show, admitted he was "just as surprised as anyone" by his win alongside professional dancer Sharna Burgess in 2018.

Reflecting on the aftermath, he acknowledged that some longtime fans questioned his victory. There were hardcore viewers who weren't thrilled that he won, but he realized they would have never supported him anyway.

Criticism didn't come solely from fans. In August 2024, former judge and professional dancer Julianne Hough expressed that Bones wasn't the strongest dancer in the season. Despite consistently receiving lower scores than fellow finalists Milo Manheim, Evanna Lynch, and Alexis Ren, Bones secured the mirrorball trophy thanks to overwhelming viewer votes.

"I wasn’t in any way polarizing on the show, other than I sucked," he noted. "I didn't run out and [say], like, 'I'm the best.' I tried as hard as I could and I got sevens, a couple sixes. A couple eights."