10 ugliest 'DWTS' feuds: From Amber Rose vs Julianne Hough to Hannah Brown vs Carrie Ann Inaba

10 ugliest 'DWTS' feuds: From Kaitlyn Bristowe vs Carrie Ann Inaba to Kirstie Alley vs Maksim Chmerkovskiy

'Dancing With the Stars' has always been more than just a dance competition. While viewers tune in for the glitz, glam, and impressive routines, what truly keeps fans hooked season after season is the drama that unfolds both on and off the dance floor. The show is known for its high stakes and intense emotions, often leading to explosive feuds that grab headlines. From clashes between contestants and judges to behind-the-scenes battles, 'DWTS' has seen its fair share of tension over the years. Let’s dive into 10 of the most memorable feuds that had everyone buzzing.

1. Hannah Brown vs Carrie Ann Inaba

Hannah Brown, the star of 'The Bachelorette' Season 15, faced intense scrutiny during her time on 'DWTS' Season 28, particularly from judge Carrie Ann Inaba. Brown felt that Inaba was overly harsh in her critiques, a sentiment she later reflected on during an October 2020 episode of Kaitlyn Bristowe’s 'Off the Vine' podcast. "She’s a woman, so she’s very intuitive, I think, of what my emotions were, and she was right a lot of the time. I was like, 'You can’t be right! Do not point out what’s happening on national television right now, because I’m going to burst into tears, and I am trying to keep it together'. That was a lot of it," Brown confessed. This emotional tension made Brown’s journey on the show particularly challenging.

2. Kaitlyn Bristowe vs Carrie Ann Inaba

Kaitlyn Bristowe, another 'Bachelorette' alum, found herself in a similar situation to Hannah Brown during Season 29. After receiving two weeks of low scores, Bristowe began to question Inaba’s motives. She expressed her concerns in a November 2020 interview with ET, wondering if Inaba’s critiques were rooted in a genuine desire for improvement or if they were influenced by her past interactions with Bachelor Nation contestants. "I just want to know where it comes from. Is it from a place where you believe in us and you want us to do better? Is it coming from a place of, ‘I was hard on Hannah and you’re another Bachelor girl?'" Bristowe said. Her partner, Artem Chigvintsev, echoed these concerns, noting that Inaba’s criticism felt "personal." Some fans speculated that Chigvintsev’s past romantic relationship with Inaba might have played a role in her judgment, further fueling the drama. Inaba, feeling the backlash, later claimed she was being "bullied" by Bachelor Nation fans.

3. Maksim Chmerkovskiy vs Hope Solo

One of the most shocking feuds in 'DWTS' history involved soccer star Hope Solo and professional dancer Maksim Chmerkovskiy during Season 13. Solo alleged that Chmerkovskiy had mistreated her during rehearsals, even accusing him of hitting her across the face—a claim he vehemently denied. In a 2015 interview on the 'Allegedly with Theo Von & Matthew Cole Weiss' podcast, Chmerkovskiy didn’t hold back, calling Solo a "s**tty person." He elaborated, "People can be bad or good or whatever. You can have a s**tty life growing up. You can have a tough upbringing. You can have history. You can have whatever. But, if you are just a bad person, you know what I mean? There's no excuse for that." The fallout from these allegations was intense, with both parties sticking to their respective stories, leaving fans divided over who to believe.

4. Kate Gosselin vs Tony Dovolani

'DWTS' Season 10 saw reality TV star Kate Gosselin paired with Tony Dovolani, and their partnership quickly became strained. Gosselin’s frustration during rehearsals often clashed with Dovolani’s professional approach, leading to a heated exchange where Gosselin snapped, "You're not taking into consideration how I learn!" Dovolani, clearly fed up, responded, "I'm done, I'm done today. I quit!"

5. Ian Ziering vs Cheryl Burke

Season 4 of 'DWTS' brought together '90210' alum Ian Ziering and professional dancer Cheryl Burke, but their partnership wasn’t as harmonious as it appeared on screen. Years later, Burke made headlines when she revealed that she wanted to "slit [her] wrists" while working with Ziering—a shocking statement she later deeply regretted. In a Twitter apology, Burke stated, "I’ve always lived by the rule that if you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all. Recently and regrettably, I broke that rule." She continued, "In the heat of an interview conversation, I used a phrase that seemingly makes light of suicide and I deeply regret it. I have many friends and family members that struggle with depression and thoughts of suicide. To have said something that seemingly makes a mockery of what they’ve gone through and what they live with is something that I apologize for."

6. Mischa Barton vs Artem Chigvintsev

The Season 22 partnership between 'The OC' star Mischa Barton and Artem Chigvintsev was fraught with tension from the start. Barton struggled to connect with Chigvintsev, leading to a less-than-pleasant experience for both parties. "I was relying on you to make it a positive experience. I can't do another week of this. He just is not getting it, and it's horrible for me," Barton expressed during a 2016 episode. The duo’s lack of chemistry was evident both on and off the dance floor, making their time on the show particularly challenging.

7. Michael Bolton vs Bruno Tonioli

Singer Michael Bolton’s time on 'DWTS' Season 11 was marred by harsh criticism from judge Bruno Tonioli, who referred to Bolton’s jive as "the worst jive in 11 seasons." The biting remark didn’t sit well with Bolton, who later called out Tonioli for being "mean-spirited." "Bruno should search his soul for what he is doing on that show. I think it’s a personal epiphany [Bruno] may have to have. I asked for it in one interview and I felt he should express a public apology to me. I think asking once is enough, and I don’t want my friends, fans, and supporters to ask for it. It is what it is," Bolton said.

8. Kirstie Alley vs Maksim Chmerkovskiy

Kirstie Alley and Maksim Chmerkovskiy seemed like a match made in heaven during 'DWTS' Season 12, but their relationship soured three years later. The tension reportedly stemmed from Chmerkovskiy’s comments about Scientology on 'Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen' in 2014. "She stopped getting along with me. I think the world of her. I'm not judging people by their religion. I'm Jewish. I don't really believe in science fiction, whatever. … Now that I'm associating with other people, that she can't be associated with, I am no longer to be spoken with," Chmerkovskiy revealed. While Chmerkovskiy wished Alley well, she fired back on Twitter with a scathing response: "Dear Sir … after you have a** raped me there is really no reason to include 'I wish you the best' … It's rhetorical."

9. Julianne Hough vs Mark Ballas

Longtime friends Julianne Hough and Mark Ballas found themselves at odds during 'DWTS' Season 17 after Hough, serving as a guest judge, critiqued Ballas’s partner Christina Milian. Hough commented, "I've danced with Mark. You have to stand in front to make sure you're seen," a remark that didn’t sit well with Ballas. Ballas later called her comments “hypocritical,” leading to a public back-and-forth that put a strain on their friendship. Hough explained her intentions to Us Weekly, stating, "I judge the same way I teach so it all comes from love. It's not to diss anybody. It's not to hurt anybody's feelings. It's about constructive criticism so that they can get better for next week and that was not a direct attack on anybody. … I don't know why people are making such a big deal about it."

10. Amber Rose vs Julianne Hough

Amber Rose, a contestant on 'DWTS' Season 23, sparked controversy in 2016 when she accused Julianne Hough of body-shaming her after a performance. Rose recalled the incident, saying, "Last night was like, they did the commentary, and I, it was a point in the dance where I had to lift my leg up and Maks dipped me & [Julianne] said, ‘Oh, I’m uncomfortable', and instantly I felt, I did feel body-shamed." Hough later apologized for her comment, clarifying her stance on the matter. "The thing that I love so much about dance is that dance is a universal platform for people to express themselves – any person. And for me, I am a huge supporter of that and that alone. As a judge on this show, I am here to solely judge you and everyone else in this competition for only the dancing. So I want you to know that," Hough told Rose on the show.