What should have been a magical night in the ballroom has erupted into one of the biggest controversies of the season. After Witney Carson and Mark’s latest performance, social media went into complete meltdown — and fans are not holding back. What started as celebration has spiraled into a storm of accusations, as viewers claim the pair are being heavily favored by producers.
From the song choice to the stage lighting, fans insist Witney and Mark are getting the “star treatment” — with one user posting, “They get all the best choreography and production every week while others barely get two minutes of airtime!” Another frustrated viewer added, “It’s so obvious they want them in the finals. This is supposed to be a fair competition!”
The outrage didn’t stop there. Many pointed out that the duo’s scores have consistently outpaced competitors who, according to fans, delivered equally strong — or even better — performances. One trending comment read, “DWTS used to be about dancing, now it’s about favorites. The judges are clearly biased.”
As the backlash grows, hashtags like #DWTSRigged, #JusticeForOtherContestants, and #FavoritismOnDWTS are flooding timelines across X (Twitter), Instagram, and TikTok. Fans are calling on the network to “level the playing field” and give all contestants equal treatment.
Insiders close to production have reportedly denied the claims, insisting that every performance is judged fairly and that song and set choices are assigned based on creative balance. Still, the outrage shows no signs of slowing — and the clip in question has already racked up millions of views, with heated debates in the comments.
Some viewers, however, defended Witney and Mark, arguing that the backlash is simply jealousy over their undeniable chemistry and talent. “They work hard and it shows,” one fan wrote. “That’s not favoritism — that’s professionalism.”
But even with those defenses, the tension online is palpable. What was meant to be a fun, uplifting moment has instead ignited a firestorm that’s threatening to overshadow the joy of the season.
One thing’s certain: Dancing With the Stars hasn’t seen controversy like this in years — and until producers address the claims, fans won’t be quick to let it go.
