Dancing Queen! After months of sparkles and sashays, the three remaining contestants on ABC's Dancing With the Stars put it all on the line in the Nov. 24 finale. Alek Skarlatos, Nick Carter, and Bindi Irwin all danced their pants off, but only one person could win the coveted Mirrorball Trophy.
All three stars danced a 24-hour fusion challenge to win over the judges, and yep — each of them earned a near perfect score. (Alek technically got a 27, but still, pretty close!) This means the winner was ultimately decided by voters, and let's just say there was a clear favorite.
(Please put on your favorite Backstreet Boys album to emotionally prepare for this moment.)
And the Winner Is…
Bindi! Are we really surprised? The 17-year-old daughter of Steve Irwin spent all season showcasing serious talent, but above all else, she danced with raw emotion — often inspired by her late father. "Thank you so much for everything," Bindi said after she won with pro partner Derek Hough. "I can't believe that I'm here and just thank you for changing my life."
Meanwhile, Nick put on a brave face as the runner-up alongside pro Sharna Burgess, though it's safe to say that he was "inconsolable" on the inside because he did not "want it that way." You're welcome for yet another topical BSB reference.
Let's Talk About Kim and Carlos
Not to be outdone, Bindi's fellow celebrity contestants also had some truly inspirational moments, by which we mean Kim Zolciak returned and danced the "I Dream of Jeannie" number that she couldn't perform due to her ministroke in Week 3. Finally! Also, Carlos PenaVega performed a striptease wearing a Santa hat, so … merry Christmas to all, and to all a goodnight.
Tell Us: What did you think of Bindi taking home the Mirrorball Trophy?
