Winners

Kelly Monaco won the inaugural season of DWTS in 2005 alongside pro dancer Alec Mazo. That was far from the last time the General Hospital actress would be seen in the ballroom, as she notably competed on the 15th season with Valentin Chmerkovskiy as her partner.

Her double spin as a contestant on the series makes her one of six winners to return to the show to compete for a second time. She also appeared on season 25 to perform a trio number with Terrell Owens and Cheryl Burke, alongside six other former competitors. 

Drew Lachey, former member of 98 Degrees and brother to Love Is Blind host Nick Lachey, picked up his mirrorball during season two. Partnered with Cheryl Burke, he returned for season 15 where he competed with Anna Trebunskaya. 

Despite being named the show’s champion on his first DWTS turn, he was eliminated during week three during his second shot. However, Lachey, alongside Monaco, is still penned in the DWTS history books as one of the few winners to compete on the show more than once. 

Cheryl Burke extended her winning streak into season three with Emmitt Smith. The former Dallas Cowboys running back made history with his 2006 win as the first (of four) NFL players to win DWTS. Plus, Smith is a part of the hexad of past champions who returned for season 15, where he was partnered with Cheryl once more. 

Olympian Apolo Anton Ohno won the fourth DWTS installment, notably earning current co-host Julianne Hough her first mirrorball. Plus, Julianne’s season four victory also set the record for the youngest pro dancer to reign supreme, as she won the competition series at just 18 years old. (And she quickly made another record one year later.) Ohno also returned for season 15, and placed fifth. 

Julianne Hough followed in Cheryl Burke’s footsteps in 2007 by winning the show for the second year in a row with racing driver Hélio Castroneves. The Indy 500 racer came back to DWTS in 2015 for season 15, where he placed 10th. 

Olympic champion figure skater Kristi Yamaguchi translated her gold-medal winning talents into the DWTS ballroom in 2008, where she won season six. Her triumph saw Mark Ballas earn his first win as a pro dancer, one of many more to come. 

Brooke Burke and current judge Derek Hough won the show’s seventh installment, which led to years of them both being intertwined with the DWTS family. Coming onto the show as a model and TV host, Burke offered the latter talent to the series as a DWTS co-host from season 10-17. 

Brooke’s win was also served as Derek’s first win. While this list is intended to highlight the winners of the show, it’s also important to note that each celebrity victory also parlayed into the careers of the pro dancers that make up the series.

Shawn Johnson became the first gymnast to win DWTS in 2009. Partnered with Mark Ballas (marking his second victory), the gold medalist reappeared on the series for (you guessed it!) season 15 alongside Derek Hough. 

Donny & Marie star Donny Osmond took his turn on the competition ballroom dance series in 2009, where he won season nine alongside Kym Johnson. He is notably the oldest person to ever win the show, as he was 51 at the time he was crowned champion.

Before Nicole Scherzinger won her Tony Award, she reigned victorious on DWTS. The former Pussycat Dolls singer was partnered with Derek Hough for the landmark 10th season. 

Derek Hough won his fourth DWTS installment during season 11, with Dirty Dancing actress Jennifer Grey. Her first dance paid tribute to the film, a Viennese waltz set to “These Arms of Mine” by Otis Redding from the movie.

Grey long held the record for the most perfect scores in a season, setting it initially with six. She stands as the eldest woman to win DWTS, and she was 50 when she secured the title.

Former Pittsburgh Steelers player Hines Ward nabbed the DWTS season 12 champion title in 2012 with Kym Johnson. 

Actor and Army veteran J.R. Martinez won season 13 alongside pro Karina Smirnoff, marking her first DWTS win. Following his victory, Martinez told The Hollywood Reporter he was “so grateful that I was able to be part of the journey to help get her first mirrorball trophy.” 

Donald Driver, a former Green Bay Packers player, and Peta Murgatroyd won season 14 of DWTS. Following the triumph, he reflected on becoming another NFL star to win the mirrorball with THR.

“It took me 13 years to win the Super Bowl,” Driver joked. “I’m just glad it took me one season to win the mirrorball.”

The coveted 15th season of the show, better known as DWTS: All-Stars, was ultimately won by Melissa Rycroft. She was a contestant on The Bachelor season 13, and got engaged to Jason Mesnick, though he called off the engagement shortly after. 

After her run as a Bachelor Nation star, she quickly pivoted to appearing on DWTS for season eight. (It’s a trend that would later catch wind for contestants in the franchise to go on the competitive dance show directly after their time searching for love on TV.) There, she placed third, before returning for season 15 and winning the mirrorball alongside Tony Dovolani.

American Idol alum Kellie Pickler returned to the competitive reality TV circuit in 2013, earning first place on season 16 of DWTS. She was partnered with Derek Hough, and notably beat out Zendaya for the top spot in the competition. 

Marking the second time Derek Hough won consecutive seasons, Amber Riley was the show’s 17th winner. The Glee star and Derek had quite the impressive turn, tying the then-record for the highest first week score, receiving three nines from the judges. In total, she had five perfect scores throughout the season, which led her to nab the season 17 champion title. 

Riley is also notably the first African American woman to win a regular, mainstay season of DWTS. (Melissa Rycroft won All-Stars.) 

Olympic silver medalist Meryl Davis nabbed the DWTS mirrorball in 2014 alongside Makism Chmerkovskiy. She notably competed against her ice skating partner Charlie White, who placed fifth. At the time, she broke the record for the most perfect scored dances, with six. 

Long before he became a co-host of DWTS, Alfonso Ribeiro won the show in 2014. Earning Witney Carson her first mirrorball as well, the duo were a force during the 19th installment. He matched Amber Riley’s record for best first week score ever, after earning 36/40 (meaning he received four nines from each judge). 

Rumer Willis won the landmark 20th season of the competitive ballroom show alongside Valentin Chmerkovskiy, in his first win ever. Daughter to Demi Moore and Bruce Willis, Rumer matched Meryl Davis’ score of most perfect dances by a competitor. 

One of the most heartwrenching journeys on DWTS came with Bindi Irwin’s season 21 appearance with her partner Derek Hough. Son of the beloved Steve Irwin, Bindi was the first winner to completely blow out the once-set record of most perfect dances. Jennifer Grey and Rumer Willis each had six, though Bindi earned eight perfect scores.  

During Most Memorable Year week, she paid tribute to her late father with a touching contemporary that is ingrained in DWTS history. Competing on the show in 2015, her younger brother Robert Irwin later followed in her footsteps, by partaking in season 34 of the series in 2025, exactly 10 years post-her tenure in the competition. His placement is still TBD, but if Robert won, they’d be the first sibling duo to both win DWTS.

Nyle DiMarco had a historic run during season 22 of DWTS, becoming the first deaf person to win the series. Hailing from one of the final cycles of America’s Next Top Model, DiMarco and Peta Murgatroyd’s time on the competitive reality show broke down barriers. 

Another gymnast to be crowned a mirrorball champion, Laurie Hernandez won season 23 with Valentin Chmerkovskiy. She is the youngest DWTS winner ever, as she won the show when she was a mere 16-years-old in 2016.

Rashad Jennings is the fourth NFL player to win DWTS. He won with Emma Slater, marking her first and only win as a pro dancer in 2017.

Jordan Fisher and Lindsay Arnold won the show during 2017’s fall season. Fisher’s time on DWTS was record-breaking, as he notably earned nine perfect scores throughout season 25, taking over Bindi Irwin’s achievement of eight. 

Olympic bronze medalist Adam Rippon won the first and only season of DWTS: Athletes. Sporting a cast of (you guessed it) only athletes, season 26 was a condensed, four-week installment that saw Jenna Johnson win her first mirrorball. 

Bobby Bones’ DWTS win is one of the most controversial conquests in the show’s 20 year run. Dancing with his partner Sharna Burgess, the radio host had the lowest judges scores of the finalists during season 27. His win caused a shift in the DWTS universe — one that signified that viewers’ votes could successfully influence a celebrity to win a show without having the scoring to back it up.

Hannah Brown became the second Bachelorette to win DWTS during season 28 with her partner Alan Bersten, marking his first and only win. 

Following directly behind her fellow franchise leader, Kaitlyn Bristowe won DWTS during the show’s first season set in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic. In the fall of 2020, Bristowe earned the title of being the third Bachelorette to earn the mirrorball with her partner Artem Chigvintsev. 

Iman Shumpert reigned supreme during another milestone season of DWTS. On season 30, he earned the title of the first NBA star to win the show, also earning Daniella Karagach’s first mirrorball. 

Longtime DWTS champion pro Mark Ballas made his grand return to the ballroom after six installments off for an impressive season-long run with Charli D’Amelio. The first TikTok star to join the franchise’s cast, Charli earned six perfect scores during her run on the show. She is also a part of the first duo of non-spousal family members to compete on DWTS, as her mother, Heidi D’Amelio, also appeared on season 31. 

Xochitl Gomez won the mirrorball trophy in the fall of 2023. She was partnered with Valentin Chmerkovskiy, notably standing as one of the youngest winners of the show, as she was 17 when she snatched the title. 

Joey Graziadei is the most recent winner of DWTS, and the only Bachelor to ever win the competitive ballroom series. He was partnered with Jenna Johnson, totaling her number of wins up to two. 

The highly anticipated winner of season 34 is still in the air, but the answer of who will win the mirrorball in 2025 will be answered come Nov. 25.