Dancing with the Stars - The Hollywood Gossip

Donald Driver Wins Dancing With the Stars!

steve@thehollywoodgossip.com (Free Britney) — Wed, 23 May 2012 05:58:23 EST

One point separated first-place Katherine Jenkins from William Levy and Donald Driver at the end of Monday's Dancing With the Stars performances.

Each finalist earned another 30 from one more routine on Tuesday's finale, but the votes were in, and that Mirror Ball already had one name on it.

That name was Donald Driver.

The Green Bay Packers wide receiver Donald Driver was named the winner of the 14th season, making pro Peta Murgatroyd a first-time champion.

"Amazing! This is awesome!" Donald said when asked how he felt. His competitors, not surprisingly, took their defeat in stride, and with class.

William and Cheryl Burke finished in third place. "It was an amazing experience," said the Cuban actor. "I thank you guys for all you have done for us."

"I'm going to miss all of you guys, I love you!"

Jenkins and Mark Ballas were the runners-up.

Donald Driver & Peta Murgatroyd - Freestyle (DWTS Week 10)

"Thank you so much, Mark, you've been... I can't put into words how much I've loved this," the ever-gracious Katherine Jenkins said in defeat.

"And thank you to everybody who's had me on the show. It's been an absolute dream, thank you." "Congratulations, my man," Mark Ballas said.

Driver's win makes eight for men in 14 seasons. Donald is also the third NFL pro to win after Emmitt Smith and Hines Ward, last season's champ.

What do you think? Did Donald deserve it?

Dancing With the Stars Recap: A Fantastic Finals

steve@thehollywoodgossip.com (Free Britney) — Tue, 22 May 2012 06:26:44 EST

Heading into Monday's performance finale on Season 14 of Dancing With the Stars, it was anybody's game. Heading into the final results show, it still is!

The most evenly-matched final three in history lived up to that billing, finishing within a single point of each other after six great routines.

Let's revisit them all, shall we?

William Levy & Cheryl Burke - Cha Cha Cha (DWTS Week 10)

Head judge Len Goodman said that William Levy's show-opening cha-cha was as good as any he has seen in 14 seasons. He got a 30 for it.

Katherine Jenkins & Mark Ballas - Paso Doble (DWTS Week 10)

There was no less love for Katherine Jenkins' paso doble, which Len said was "full of tasty tidbits to tickle your taste buds." Crickets. 30.

Donald Driver & Peta Murgatroyd - Argentine Tango (DWTS Week 10)

Donald Driver fell short - by a single point - in merely scraping together 10s from Bruno and Carrie Ann Inaba for his Argentine tango.

William Levy & Cheryl Burke - Freestyle (DWTS Week 10)

In the lift-happy freestyle round, William and Cheryl Burke's tango / samba / salsa whatever earned them a 29 for a total of 59 Monday.

Katherine Jenkins & Mark Ballas - Freestyle (DWTS Week 10)

Mark Ballas hit the jackpot with the swing routine he crafted for Katherine, sweeping her (and the judges) off their feet for another 30.

Donald Driver & Peta Murgatroyd - Freestyle (DWTS Week 10)

Peta Murgatroyd literally bled for her freestyle. She got knocked in the face by her beefy partner during rehearsal, but rallied for a 29.

The scores after Monday's performance finale, which will account for half the overall scores this evening along with America's votes:

Katherine Jenkins & Mark Ballas (30, 30): 60
William Levy & Cheryl Burke (30, 29): 59
Donald Driver & Peta Murgatroyd (29, 30): 59

Yup. Basically, it's all your votes to decide this one.

Who should win Dancing With the Stars?

Dancing With the Stars Top Three: Who Will Win?

steve@thehollywoodgossip.com (Free Britney) — Fri, 18 May 2012 11:13:19 EST

All three remaining celebrities are worthy, but there can be only one winner of Dancing with the Stars Season 14, which comes to an end next week.

Katherine Jenkins, William Levy and Donald Driver might well be the least-known trio of finalists in DWTS history - at least heading into the season.

That said, they've made names for themselves over the past few months, and each has been as likable as they are talented out on the parquet.

Who will prevail? Let's size up the last men (and woman) standing:

William Levy

The Cuban Brad Pitt, also described by co-star Jaleel White as a one man Bachelorette party, is the blueprint of who/what does well on DWTS.

He's sexy. He's smooth. He uses his physical attributes well and he's earned the spot in the finale with solid, if unspectacular, dance moves.

William also seems like a humble guy with a great back story that people flock to. No one would be surprised if he hoists the Mirror Ball.

Odds of winning: 2:1.

Donald Driver

Aside from the fact that he's incredibly ripped, you'd never guess Driver were an NFL player. He's courteous, affable, smart and a good family man!

Donald hasn't been on top much this season, but he's been one of the most consistent dancers in the field. He hasn't had one bad night, really.

He's got some name recognition as a Super Bowl champion, is extremely likable, loves every second of the show and is our dark horse pick to win it.

Odds of winning: 3:2.

Katherine Jenkins

Pretty, cheerful and remarkably nice - seems like a pattern this season - the Welsh opera singer doesn't feel like a celebrity, which is to her advantage.

Female voters might actually support Katherine as an underdog, and it doesn't hurt that she's been one of the best dancers to watch all season.

Her performances are as beautiful as she is, and while she may have a bit of an uphill battle coming into the finale, she's by no means out of it.

Odds of winning: 5:1.

What do you think? Can Katherine upset one of these studs? Does Donald have the edge over William? Will it all come down to voter turnout?

Tell us (and vote for) who you think will win below!

Dancing With the Stars All-Stars Announced: Who Should Return?

steve@thehollywoodgossip.com (Free Britney) — Wed, 16 May 2012 13:47:20 EST

After the Dancing With the Stars results show Tuesday night, it's been confirmed that the first-ever all-star edition of the hit show will premiere this fall.

Who should compete among the best of the best? Or at least the most talked about? The possibilities over the past 14 seasons are nearly limitless.

"We can't talk about the casting yet, but I'd love to see some of the fan favorites from past seasons," ABC's entertainment president Paul Lee said.

On last night's episode, during which Maria Menounos was eliminated, host Tom Bergeron hinted that past DWTS champs would be invited back.

TV Guide reported that former contestants Mario Lopez, Gilles Marini, and Mel B could be back. Lopez even admitted he's in talks with DWTS for it.

Season 7 Dancing With the Stars champion and current host Brooke Burke Charvet wouldn't mind putting her dancing shoes back on, either.

"I haven't danced ballroom since I left that season… I would love to [return]," Burke Charvet confided to Rachael Ray in a recent interview.

"And being on the show, it just makes me want to dance again."

Who would you like to see compete among the Dancing With the Stars All-Stars? J.R. Martinez? Bristol Palin? Kate Gosselin? Sound off below!

Dancing With the Stars Results Shocker: Who Made the Finals?

steve@thehollywoodgossip.com (Free Britney) — Wed, 16 May 2012 07:30:26 EST

After Monday left Katherine Jenkins in a world of hurt - physically and mentally - many assumed this Dancing With the Stars results show would be her last.

Not the case!

She needed both a doctor's attention and Mark Ballas' reassurances following her misstep and injury, but Jenkins survived despite her last-place finish.

That sounds worse than it was - the judges barely criticized her, and her last-place score was just three points out of the lead - but it was still a surprise.

"It's something I'll just power through," the Welsh opera singer said of her back injury. "And actually, jumping up and down now I think I hit it again."

"I was so excited I just forgot about it."

Those celebration injuries can be rough. Who will join her to vie for the title? And which frontrunner was sent home with a disappointing fourth-place finish?

Find out after the jump ...

Joining Jenkins in the finals will be William Levy, whose sexy looks and smooth moves have him winning votes in his sleep, along with NFL star Donald Driver.

That means Maria Menounos, despite a first-place score of 59 (!) and despite three-time winner Derek Hough as a partner, will be watching from the sidelines.

"I learned so many things," the Extra host said afterward, exiting with the class you'd expect. "I learned how strong I was. I learned to persevere."

"It's been an amazing season," Derek added. "And I've loved, loved dancing with this woman... She's not just a champion of dancing, but a champion of life."

But it's Donald, William and Katherine who will be free-styling for the Mirror Ball next week! Did Maria deserve to go? And who do you think will win it all?

Vote in our dueling Dancing With the Stars surveys below:

Did Maria deserve to go?

Who will win?

Dancing With the Stars Recap: Katherine Jenkins Melts Down, Cries on Stage

steve@thehollywoodgossip.com (Free Britney) — Tue, 15 May 2012 05:56:44 EST

With the competition down to the final two weeks, tension was running high on Dancing with the Stars, and seemed to overwhelm one top contestant.

A seemingly minor misstep at the end of a solid routine left Katherine Jenkins in tears. The question on every concerned viewer's mind was why?

Their salsa – their second routine of the night – saw the opera singer stumble, a mistake that barely resonated with the judges, but left her bawling on stage:

Katherine Jenkins & Mark Ballas - Salsa (DWTS Week 9)

"That was just fantastic," said Carrie Ann Inaba, who awarded a nine. "I'm sorry at the end. But I just love seeing you push your boundaries."

The other judges also gave her nines, but with the finals a week away, the miscue left poor Jenkins in tears. "I'm sorry, Mark," she told her partner.

It was unclear what exactly caused the crying from Katherine - who also scored a 29 in her first dance, a quickstep - until later in the evening.

Afterward, she was heard saying, "I don't know what happened." She later Tweeted: "I'm with the Doctor, he says it was a reflectorical spasm in my lower back."

Maria Menounos & Derek Hough - Tango (DWTS Week 9)

Nerves and pressure may have contributed to her tears, but no one realized at the time how much physical agony she was in. What a fighter.

In any event, she's still in this thing, as no more than three points separate all the contestants on a night that saw near perfection in the scoring.

"This is going to be the best semi-finals ever," proclaimed Len Goodman.

Maria Menounos and Derek Hough could not have done a better Argentine tango, getting yet another perfect 30. Later they got a 29 for their jive, as well.

William Levy & Cheryl Burke - Samba (Dancing With the Stars)

William Levy and Cheryl Burke matched that 30 for a red-hot samba, leaving Len at a loss for words. Their earlier tango collected 29 points.

Donald Driver and Peta Murgatroyd soared, getting 10s from Tonioli and Inaba and a nine from Len for the samba. Their earlier tango earned 28.

Here's how the leaderboard stacks up after the semifinals:

Maria Menounos and Derek Hough: (30, 29) 59
William Levy and Cheryl Burke: (28, 30) 58
Donald Driver and Peta Murgatroyd: (28, 29) 57
Katherine Jenkins and Mark Ballas: (29, 27) 56

Who will be sent home on tonight's results show, and which three couples will advance to the finals next week? Tell us in the comments!

Dancing With the Stars Results: Who Survived the Double Elimination?

steve@thehollywoodgossip.com (Free Britney) — Wed, 09 May 2012 06:10:06 EST

Dancing With the Stars bid farewell to two of its top six competitors on last night's results show. Did the four favorites survive, or were there surprises?

It was really anyone's game. A week after scoring a perfect 30, Maria Menounos and Derek Hough found themselves in second-to-last place Monday.

Roshon Fegan, who narrowly avoided elimination, climbed to second, while only six points separated William Levy in first from Melissa Gilbert in last.

So which four celebrities are moving on to the semifinals?

Roshon and Chelsie Hightower were the first couple to be eliminated. Even after having one of their better weeks, it wasn't enough for the young pair.

"I'm definitely very happy that I can add ballroom dancing to my super-duper dance moves," Roshon told co-host Brooke Burke-Charvet in response.

"I'm so proud of you," his partner Chelsie said. "He was such a joy to work with and came to work everyday willing to work and with such a great attitude."

"I'm happy to end it on a high note and I'm happy I had you as my partner."

The second couple eliminated on Tuesday were ...

Melissa Gilbert and Maksim Chmerkovskiy.

"I can't even describe what a learning and growing experience it's been. It's been a real blessing and a joy," said the actress, on her 48th birthday.

"I'm amazed that I even made it this far, and the things that I was able to do and the things that were able to overcome to have been here on this day, does make it a really incredible birthday," Gilbert added.

"Maks has been amazing, an incredible teacher, an incredible friend."

And so it goes. Levy, Menounos, Katherine Jenkins and Donald Driver are on to the final four, where it will again be anyone's game next week!

What do you think? Did America get the DWTS results right?

Katherine Jenkins Wardrobe Malfunction Doesn't Slow Dancing With the Stars Favorite

steve@thehollywoodgossip.com (Free Britney) — Tue, 08 May 2012 11:28:50 EST

Dancing With the Stars standout Katherine Jenkins has joked that her outfits are being "sabotaged" on the 14th season of the ABC reality show.

The Welsh opera singer, 31, may have come in as one of the season's least-known celebrities, but she's changed that with powerhouse routines.

The occasional wardrobe malfunction doesn't hurt, either ... as long as it's properly managed. Last night, Katherine rolled with it like a champ!

Her trousers were supposed to be removed during her three-person routine with Mark Ballas and Tristan MacManus last night, but one leg got stuck ...

Katherine Jenkins, Mark Ballas and Tristan MacManus on Dancing With the Stars

"It was a disaster. When the guys ripped my outfit off, it's perfectly in half so I thought it had gone really smoothly," Katherine told ET.

"And then I look down and ... I don't even know how it's worked that half a trouser leg is still there. It doesn't make any sense. We think it was sabotaged!"

The blonde songbirds admits she was left shaken by the incident. However, she did her best to remain composed on the dance floor.

The trio's score of 29 was the highest score of the second round, and left Jenkins in a tie for third on the DWTS scoreboard overall.

Dancing With the Stars Recap: William Levy Foxtrots to the Top

steve@thehollywoodgossip.com (Free Britney) — Tue, 08 May 2012 06:13:36 EST

With the semifinals just one week away and a double elimination on tap tonight on Dancing with the Stars, the pressure was on Monday night.

Underdogs Melissa Gilbert and Roshon Fegan needed to step up big time in order to stay out of jeopardy tonight, and one just may have.

Neither could touch the Cuban Brad Pitt, however.

In the first round Monday, William Levy and Cheryl Burke landed atop the leader board with a high-energy foxtrot that earned a perfect score.

William Levy & Cheryl Burke - Foxtrot (Dancing With the Stars)

"You bring these performances to life," Carrie Ann Inaba said. "There was care in technique and flare in the movement," added Len Goodman.

In a close second were Fegan and Chelsie Hightower, who barely survived last week. Their foxtrot earned 29 points and had Bruno Tonioli gushing.

"The sweetest of sweethearts," he called them.

After earning a perfect score last week, Maria Menounos and Derek Hough earned 28 points for what Bruno called an "amazing" Viennese waltz.

Donald Driver and Peta Murgatroyd's tango earned 27 points. Katherine Jenkins and Mark Ballas picked up 26 points for their Viennese waltz.

At the bottom after round one were Melissa Gilbert and Maksim Chmerkovskiy, whose foxtrot earned 24 points. Still, the judges were pleased.

Katherine Jenkins, Mark Ballas and Tristan MacManus on Dancing With the Stars

For the second round of competition, the pairs added a third partner, choosing either an eliminated pro or a member of the DWTS dance troupe.

Despite a wardrobe malfunction (her pant leg stuck to her shoe), Katherine and Mark's cha cha with Tristan MacManus was a hit with the judges.

They led round two with 29 points. Bruno called it "sexy and cool," while Len said it was "clean and clever." That and technically proficient.

Donald and Peta performed an energetic jive with Karina Smirnoff that earned 28 points – a low score, according to an unsatisfied audience.

Roshon and Chelsie tied with Cheryl and William in the second round. Both couples earned 27 for their paso dobles, keeping them in the hunt.

Val Chmerkovskiy joined his brother and Melissa for a sizzling samba that was deemed her best dance ever by Carrie Ann. They also earned 27.

Donald Driver, Peta Murgatroyd and Karina Smirnoff on Dancing With the Stars

Finally, Maria and Derek brought in troupe member Henry Byalikovat for a Bollywood-themed samba that caused a rift among the judges.

Here's how the Dancing With the Stars leaderboard added up:

William Levy & Cheryl Burke: (30, 27) 57
Roshon Fegan & Chelsie Hightower: (29, 27) 56
Donald Driver & Peta Murgatroyd: (27, 28) 55
Katherine Jenkins & Mark Ballas: (26, 29) 55
Maria Menounos & Derek Hough: (28, 25) 53
Melissa Gilbert & Maksim Chmerkovskiy: (24, 27) 51

Two couples will be sent home Tuesday night. Who do you think is on the way out, and who do you think will win Dancing With the Stars? Vote below!

Dancing With the Stars Top Six: Who Will Win?

steve@thehollywoodgossip.com (Free Britney) — Mon, 07 May 2012 09:19:00 EST

Things are about to get serious on Dancing With the Stars. With the field culled down from 12 to six, the pressure is mounting beginning tonight.

After Jaleel White's ouster last Tuesday, it became clear once again that no one is safe, especially with the performances improving every time out.

Roshon Fegan and Melissa Gilbert are clearly the underdogs going forward. Can either make a surprise run to the top three and the DWTS finals?

If not, it's going to be a four-person battle for three spots, with Donald Driver, William Levy, Katherine Jenkins and Maria Menounos eying the Mirror Ball.

Each has been consistently impressive so far, and rarely (if ever) in jeopardy. But something has to give. One false move and it can all be over. Ask Jaleel.

Who's your favorite contestant left in the field, and who do you think is most likely to go home this week? Share your comments and vote in our poll:

Who do you think will win Dancing With the Stars?