Fishel Says DWTS Judges Judge Women Harder
Former Dancing With The Stars contestant Danielle Fishel says female celebrity contestants face tougher scoring than male contestants on the show.
Updated on Nov. 7, 2026 in Women’s Clothing
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Danielle Fishel said on her podcast Ballroom Breakdown that Dancing With The Stars judges are harder on female celebrity contestants than male ones. Her remarks followed the Horror Movie Night episode, where guest judge Shirley Ballas gave Julia Stiles and Tatyana Ali scores of 4 and Tyler Cameron a score of 5.
Why it matters
The comments raise questions about whether scoring on the long-running reality competition treats contestants equally by gender. Fishel's criticism, shared alongside pro dancer Kym Johnson, adds to ongoing debate about how judges evaluate performers.
Ballas gave Julia Stiles a 4 and Tatyana Ali a 4, while giving Tyler Cameron a 5 on the Horror Movie Night episode. Johnson said she believed the female dancers deserved higher marks than they received.
The players
Danielle Fishel
Former Dancing With The Stars contestant who was removed from the show in 2025 and now hosts the podcast Ballroom Breakdown.
Shirley Ballas
Former professional ballroom dancer who served as a guest judge on Dancing With The Stars and was the judge who scored the contestants in question.
Kym Johnson
Professional dancer on Dancing With The Stars who appeared as a guest on Fishel's podcast and disputed the scores given to the female contestants.
The details
On the podcast, Fishel said male judges offer constructive criticism more often than female judges do. She also said audiences at home booed female judges, including Carrie Ann Inaba and guest judges, during the broadcast.
Timeline
Fishel was removed from Dancing With The Stars in 2025.
Fishel's podcast remarks were published on November 7, 2026.
Season Trajectory
Complaints about DWTS judging have followed Carrie Ann Inaba for years, and Fishel's remarks extend that pattern to guest judges and female contestants. The comments add a gender-based dimension to ongoing debate about how the show's panel scores its performers.
Viewers who follow DWTS scoring may want to watch future episodes to see whether the gender pattern Fishel described appears again. The comments are a reminder that televised scores reflect judges' opinions and are open to public debate.
The takeaway
Fishel's comments highlight how televised scoring can be questioned on fairness grounds, and viewers can weigh scores against what they see on screen. Following how judges score across episodes offers a clearer picture than any single night's results.
Further reading
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Do you think judges are harder on women than men in competition shows?
