- Fans are convinced Dancing With the Stars is "rigged" thanks to the judges scoring lower than usual.
- Sources say nothing is rigged and the show is completely fair—this is just a "tough" season with "strong contestants."
- The judges are "just as shocked" as fans when someone goes home.
Dancing With the Stars fans are locked in this season, and people are so passionate about their faves winning that there's speculation scoring has been rigged. Which, nope, not so much!
While a source confirms that DWTS would love Dylan Efron to do well due to him being "tapped to lead the show's annual touring cast for 2026," there's no plot for him to win. An insider tells the Daily Mail that the reason judges have been hesitant to hand out super high scores is simply due to the competition being tough.
"Each week, the judges are more harsh than the previous week because the competition is heating up and it really is tough this season with some strong contestants," they explain. "Everyone thinks they should get higher scores but that's why they rely so much on fan votes. The voting is what's going to get them to the finale and that's what people tend to forget; they think it's all about the judges, when really the judges are just as shocked when someone goes home."
The source adds, "The show is fair and there are no tricks to keeping someone until the end. It's truly about their dancing and viewer votes."
FYI, Judge Carrie Ann Inaba recently issued a statement addressing scoring backlash, saying "It’s okay to disagree about what we see. That’s what makes our show great. You have a say in the matter. We want you to vote for what you love and believe in. I appreciate your comment and the way you expressed your feelings. ❤️ thank you for your passion and your opinion."
