Backstreet Boy AJ McLean shares why he thinks he ‘got the raw deal’ on DWTS

Backstreet Boy AJ McLean has exclusively revealed to the Mirror US that he feels he “got the raw deal” when he took part in Dancing With The Stars in the first series after Covid

AJ McLean has admitted to feeling like he “got a raw deal” when he took part in Dancing With The Stars.

The former Backstreet Boy confided in the Mirror US about his time on the show, sharing he thinks he did it during a tough time at the “peak of Covid”. He danced with professional dancer Cheryl Burke in season 29, back in 2020, and the pair were placed 7th.

Bachelorette star Kaitlyn Bristowe and Artem Chigvintsev were announced as the winners, while Catfish host Nev Schulman and Jenna Johnson placed second, rapper Nelly and Daniella Karagach placed third, and actress Justina Machado and Sasha Farber placed fourth. Since it was the first show since the pandemic, AJ revealed that there was no live audience, which he believes hindered his star power and ability.

AJ

AJ was eliminated but made it to 7th place (
Image:
abc)
“I feel like unfortunately, I got the raw deal when I did my season, because it was the one of the first shows to come back during the peak of COVID. We had no live audience and I thrive off of the energy of a crowd,” he exclusively told us.

“So when you can hear a pin drop in there, it just wasn’t the same. And literally the season right after mine, back to back to normal, which that season, in my opinion, was probably one of the most incredible seasons I’ve ever seen.”

Many fans were devastated to learn of AJ’s elimination from the show during Icon’s Night, which was reportedly due to a misstep in his Vienesse Waltz. In the dance-off, he performed a Jive.

At the time, AJ and Cheryl took to their Pretty Messed Up podcast to discuss the elimination and the choreography. “We finished freaking strong, you did mess up,” she admitted. “[But] they should have given you a nine. Carrie Ann [Inaba’s] seven put the nail in the coffin.”

AJ

He thinks he got the raw deal (
Image:
AFP via Getty Images)
As season 32 of the show is upon us, AJ told us that he’s rooting for his close pal and fellow musician Jason Mraz. He said: “I’m rooting for my boy, Jason Mraz. I’ve been a massive fan of his since the beginning of his career.

“And now meeting Ariana, knowing that she’s a massive fan, I thought that was very sweet. Yeah. As well as Alyson Hannigan, like I, you know, who didn’t love American Pie. You know, it’s been a really, really great show,” he added.