See all 33 ‘DWTS’ winners through the years

Kelly Monaco (season 1)

Kelly Monaco made DWTS history as the show’s first-ever champion, winning season 1 with dancer Alec Mazo. Her victory sparked enough debate to prompt a special rematch, which runner-up John O’Hurley ultimately won. 

Monaco returned in season 15, landing in third place with Val Chmerkovskiy, and appeared yet again in season 25 for a trio dance.

The actress spent over 20 years on General Hospital before the series decided to“terminate her character,” Sam McCall, in 2024.

Drew Lachey (season 2)

Drew Lachey stepped out from big brother Nick’s shadow by capturing the DWTS season 2 trophy. He danced with Cheryl Burke, but had less luck with partner Anna Trebunskaya during his season 15 return.

Since then, he’s juggled fatherhood and become something of a DIY pro with his “Drew It Yourself” Instagram series and the home renovation show Date My House.

Emmitt Smith (season 3)

NFL legend Emmitt Smith pulled off the DWTS season 3 win with Cheryl Burke, then teamed up with her again for a strong season 15 run. Off the dance floor, he works in real estate and owns a restaurant in Las Vegas.

Apolo Anton Ohno (season 4)

Olympic speed skater Apolo Anton Ohno grabbed the DWTS season 4 trophy with Julianne Hough. Upon returning for season 15, he finished fifth with Karina Smirnoff.

Over the last decade and change, he’s appeared on TV as both an actor and a game show contestant. He’s also dabbled in entrepreneurship in the wellness and tech spaces.

Hélio Castroneves (season 5)

Race car pro Hélio Castroneves won DWTS season 5 with Julianne Hough. He’s still tearing up the track full time and has earned numerous accolades. In 2025, he was inducted into the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Hall of Fame.

Kristi Yamaguchi (season 6)

Olympic figure skater Kristi Yamaguchi waltzed away with the DWTS season 7 trophy alongside dancer Mark Ballas. Today, she’s a best-selling author, philanthropist, and the driving force behind Always Dream, an organization devoted to early childhood literacy.

Brooke Burke (season 7)

Brooke Burke won DWTS season 7 with Derek Hough and later returned to cohost the show for seven seasons.

Since then, Burke has written books, lent her likeness to video games, and championed women’s health, She now hosts The CW’s Penn & Teller: Fool Us.

Shawn Johnson (season 8)

Olympic gymnast Shawn Johnson rose to the top of DWTS season 8 with Mark Ballas and came back strong in season 15, finishing second with Derek Hough. 

Since retiring from gymnastics, she’s started a family, co-owns Angel City FC with her husband, and appeared on other reality TV shows, including The Challenge‘s 2017 Champs vs. Stars season. Currently, she’s gearing up to star with her husband on Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test season 4.

Donny Osmond (season 9)

Singer, actor, talk show host, and one-time teen idol Donny Osmond was crowned the DWTS season 9 winner along with pro dancer Kym Johnson.

Osmond has kept the music alive in the years since, releasing albums, performing in a long-running residency in Las Vegas, and appearing on the debut season of Fox’s The Masked Singer.

Nicole Scherzinger (season 10)

Pussycat Dolls singer Nicole Scherzinger conquered DWTS season 10 with Derek Hough, and she’s been unstoppable ever since.

Scherzinger went on to release her debut solo album, 2011’s Killer Love, following it in 2014 with Big Fat Lie. She voiced Sina in Moana (2016) and its 2024 sequel, and won a Tony Award in 2025 for her performance as Norma Desmond in the Broadway revival of Sunset Boulevard.

Jennifer Grey (season 11)

Nobody puts Baby in a corner, and Jennifer Grey proved it by winning DWTS season 11 with Derek Hough.

Already a star before hitting the ballroom, she’s since written a memoir and taken on roles on Red Oaks (2014–2017), Grey’s Anatomy (2019), and the Oscar-winning A Real Pain (2024).

Hines Ward (season 12)

Two-time Super Bowl champion Hines Ward came out on top in DWTS season 13 with pro Kym Johnson.

Post-DWTS, he dabbled in media before returning to the football field. Ward now serves as assistant head coach at Arizona State University.

J.R. Martinez (season 13)

With pro dancer Karina Smirnoff by his side, U.S. Army veteran and All My Children actor J.R. Martinez captured the DWTS season 13 crown.

In the years since, he’s continued to use his platform to advocate for fellow burn survivors and veterans.

Donald Driver (season 14)

Super Bowl champion Donald Driver added another accolade to his resume in 2012 when he won DWTS season 14 with Peta Murgatroyd.

Following his win, he published a 2013 memoir, Driven, that quickly became a New York Times best-seller. He chased it with 2017’s The 3D Body Revolution: The Ultimate Workout + Nutrition Blueprint to Get Healthy and Lean. Currently, he currently runs a nonprofit, the Donald Driver Foundation, which aims to help underprivileged children and families.

Melissa Rycroft (season 15)

Dancing with the Stars: All-Stars brought back several familiar faces, and season 8 finalist Melissa Rycroft won with her original partner, Tony Dovolani. 

She returned to the ballroom for a trio dance in season 27 and has kept busy hosting CMT’s Redneck Island and the Logically Irrational podcast.

Kellie Pickler (season 16)

Country star Kellie Pickler pulled off a surprise win in DWTS season 16 alongside pro partner Derek Hough.

Since then, she’s traded music for roles in Hallmark holiday films and hosting gigs on Pickler & Ben and SiriusXM’s The Highway. In 2016, Pickler was inducted into the North Carolina Music Hall of Fame.

Pickler’s husband, Kyle Jacobs, with whom she starred on a 2015 reality show, died by suicide on Feb. 17, 2023. According to Us Weekly, she’s currently in a legal dispute with Jacobs’ family.

Amber Riley (season 17)

Glee star Amber Riley partnered with Derek Hough to win DWTS season 17, and she’s been shining ever since.

Riley went on to win several awards for her performance as Effie White in the West End debut of Dreamgirls. She also served as the Emcee of The Little Mermaid Live! (2019) and won the eighth season of The Masked Singer in 2022.

Meryl Davis (season 18)

Olympic ice dancer Meryl Davis skated off with the DWTS season 18 win alongside Maks Chmerkovskiy.

Since then, she’s built a life with her husband and their dog, wrote a children’s book, and graduated from the Harvard Extension School in 2025.

Alfonso Ribeiro (season 19)

Alfonso Ribeiro and Witney Carson brought the Carlton flair and took home the DWTS season 19 Mirrorball trophy.

Ribeiro’s been a prolific TV host in the years since, with gigs on America’s Funniest Home Videos, Entertainment Tonight, and Catch 21. Currently, he hosts DWTS with Julianne Hough.

Rumer Willis (season 20)

The show’s 10th anniversary concluded with actress/singer Rumer Willis and Val Chmerkovskiy winning the DWTS season 20 victory.

These days, Willis, the eldest daughter of Bruce Willis and Demi Moore, is still acting, appearing in projects like Empire (2017–2018), Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (2019), and Dr. Odyssey (2025). In 2023, she welcomed her first child.

Bindi Irwin (season 21)

Bindi Irwin, the oldest child of the late Steve Irwin, foxtrotted her way to the top in DWTS season 21 with Derek Hough.

In the years since, Irwin’s been busy raising a family, protecting wildlife, and voice acting. 

Irwin’s younger brother, Robert, will compete in DWTS season 34, so don’t be surprised if you catch her in the audience cheering him on.

Nyle DiMarco (season 22)

America’s Next Top Model winner Nyle DiMarco became the first (and so far only) deaf celebrity to win any global version of the DWTS franchise, taking the season 22 title with Peta Murgatroyd.

Following his groundbreaking win, DiMarco launched the Nyle DiMarco Foundation and remains a powerful advocate for deaf culture and representation in film and TV. In 2025, he produced and directed a film, Deaf President Now!, that nabbed him two Emmy nominations.

Laurie Hernandez (season 23)

After winning Olympic gold with the “Final Five,” Laurie Hernandez joined DWTS season 23 and won with Val Chmerkovskiy.

Hernandez has since retired from gymnastics, published two books, gone back to school, ventured into acting, and earned a Sports Emmy as a commentator at the 2024 Summer Olympics.

Rashad Jennings (season 24)

Rashad Jennings secured the Mirrorball trophy in DWTS season 24 with pro Emma Slater and has since popped back into the ballroom for special performances and as a guest judge.

Off the dance floor, he’s become a New York Times best-selling author, appears regularly on TV, and stays busy with the Rashad Jennings Foundation, which specializes in literacy and mentorship programs.

Jordan Fisher (season 25)

Former Disney star Jordan Fisher outdanced the competition with pro Lindsay Arnold in DWTS season 25.

He went on to host Dancing with the Stars: Juniors in 2018 and starred in several Broadway productions, including Dear Evan Hansen (2020–2022) and Hadestown (2023–2025). He got married in 2020 and welcomed his first child in 2022.

Adam Rippon (season 26)

Olympic figure skater Adam Rippon and pro Jenna Johnson won the Dancing with the Stars: Athletes season, which lasted just four weeks.

In November 2018, he announced his retirement from figure skating. Since then, he’s gotten married, become a coach and choreographer, and won the first season of Fox’s Stars on Mars.

Bobby Bones (season 27)

Radio host Bobby Bones and pro dancer Sharna Burgess won DWTS season 27 in what remains one of the show’s most controversial victories.

Bones has since gotten married and launched several podcasts through his Nashville Podcast Network. He continues to defend his DWTS win.

Hannah Brown (season 28)

Since winning DWTS season 28 with pro Alan Bersten, Hannah Brown has released three books, survived Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test season 1, and joined the Bachelor in Paradise staff. The former Bachelorette also got married in 2025. 

Reflecting on her DWTS win, she recently admitted to feeling “empty,” saying the trophy, despite how much she thought it would mean to her, “carried no weight.”

Kaitlyn Bristowe (season 29)

Kaitlyn Bristowe danced her way to a season 29 win with pro partner Artem Chigvintsev.

She now hosts the Off the Vine podcast, cohosts Are You My First? with Bachelor alum Colton Underwood, and recently revealed that she’s “still suffering years later” from the wear and tear of competing.

Iman Shumpert (season 30)

Iman Shumpert made DWTS history in season 30 as the first NBA player to reach and win the finals, dancing alongside pro Daniella Karagach.

Since claiming the Mirrorball trophy, Shumpert has become a sports analyst and launched a wellness-focused cannabis line. He currently hosts the No Limit podcast.

Charli D’Amelio (season 31)

TikTok star Charli D’Amelio’s competitive dance background paid off for her and pro Mark Ballas, who were declared the season 31 winners.

D’Amelio made her Broadway debut in & Juliet in 2024 and recently appeared in Hurry Up Tomorrow, a 2025 movie starring The Weeknd and Jenna Ortega.

Xochitl Gomez (season 32)

Fresh off her appearance in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022), Xochitl Gomez danced to victory in DWTS season 32 with partner Val Chmerkovskiy.

She continues to act and will next appear in a pair of anticipated films: The Cat in the Hat and Avengers: Doomsday.

Joey Graziadei (season 33)

Joey Graziadei is the first and only Bachelor lead to win DWTS, taking home the trophy with pro dancer Jenna Johnson in season 33.

Since then, Graziadei has been busy planning his upcoming wedding with fiancée Kelsey Anderson. He’s also set to host the official DWTS podcast.