DWTS Executive Producer Denies Rigging Claims Amid Fan Uproar

DWTS Executive Producer Denies Rigging Claims Amid Fan Uproar

When Ryan O'Dowd, executive producer of ABC stood in front of a Deadline reporter in September 2025, he didn't just shrug off the rumor mill – he flat‑out rejected it. "We have never, nor would we ever manipulate the votes," O'Dowd said, his tone as firm as a judge’s scorecard. The claim he was refuting? A growing chorus of fans who believe the long‑running dance competition, Season 34 of Dancing With The StarsLos Angeles, California, has been secretly tweaking the public’s voting power.

• Premiere date: September 16, 2025
• Initial lineup: 14 celebrity‑pro pairs
• Week 2: Double‑elimination episode sparked the biggest backlash
• Key hashtag: #DWTSRigged trended for 48 hours
• Network response: ABC’s social‑media team monitoring sentiment in real time

What sparked the rigging accusations?

The tinder‑box ignited during Week 2, when the show yanked two couples off the floor in a single night. One of those couples was singer Lauren Jauregui, former member of Fifth Harmony. Even though the judges handed her an 18‑out‑of‑30 for her cha‑cha to "Work From Home," the audience‑vote tally sent her packing. Viewers in the studio gasped, and within minutes the Twitterverse exploded with #JusticeForLauren.

Ryan O'Dowd's rebuttal and the show’s voting process

O'Dowd insisted the voting system is a “pure, unfiltered voice of the people.” He explained that votes are collected via phone, text, and the official app, then aggregated by an independent third‑party auditor. "The integrity of that data is verified before any results are announced," he added. While he didn’t spill the exact numbers, the producer noted that any attempt to tamper would trigger immediate alerts in the audit software – a safeguard he claims has never been breached.

The Lauren Jauregui elimination and fan backlash

After the announcement, host Alfonso Ribeiro, known for his charismatic sign‑off, delivered the news with his usual smile, but Jauregui’s reaction was unmistakable: "Pissed," she later told reporters. The moment was captured on Instagram Live, where millions watched the studio’s stunned silence. Within hours, the hashtag #DWTSRigged amassed over 1.2 million tweets, and fans organized a petition demanding a transparent vote recount.

Judges, hosts, and inside perspectives

Judge Carrie Ann Inaba responded to the uproar on her Instagram Stories, writing, "It’s okay to disagree about what we see. That’s what makes our show great. You have a say in the matter. ❤️" A source from Cosmopolitan noted that judges have been scoring tougher because "the competition is heating up and it really is tough this season with some strong contestants." The source also confirmed that contestant Dylan Efron has been tapped to lead the 2026 touring cast, but there’s "no plot for him to win"—the outcome still rests on viewer votes.

Ratings, social media, and network response

ABC’s internal analytics team flagged a 12 % dip in live‑viewing numbers for the double‑elim episode, while streaming re‑watch rates spiked by 27 %—a clear sign that people were either rewinding to catch details or sharing clips on TikTok. Network executives, who asked to remain unnamed, said they are "closely monitoring social media sentiment and voting patterns" and have convened a crisis‑communication meeting with O'Dowd and the show's legal counsel.

Possible outcomes and what could change

Industry experts suggest three likely paths: (1) ABC could announce a minor rule tweak – perhaps limiting double eliminations to later weeks; (2) the show might rollout a public audit report after the season finale; or (3) the controversy could simply fade as new dance numbers capture viewers' attention. Either way, the next episode’s voting window will be a litmus test for whether the audience’s anger dissipates or intensifies.

Background: DWTS’s history of controversies

Dancing With The Stars has faced scrutiny before. In 2019, former host Tom Bergeron’s sudden departure led to speculation about backstage politics. In 2022, a TikTok‑night episode was criticized for favoring younger contestants in the app’s algorithmic promotion. The show also weathered backlash when former political figure Sean Spicer was paired with a celebrity partner, sparking accusations of politicizing the dance floor. Each time, the producers responded with a mix of transparency promises and format adjustments, a pattern that may repeat this season.