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Elizabeth Berkley is getting candid about her experience on Dancing With the Stars.
The Saved by the Bell alum, 54, who competed on season 17 in 2013, claimed that the show’s producers often tried to amp up the drama rather than let the dancing speak for itself during her stint.
Commenting under season 5 contestant Jennie Garth’s Instagram post praising DWTS season 35, Berkley wrote, “The show has changed for the better since we did it- it is not about drama it’s about goodness, and joy and the journey in a beautiful way now.”
“Before they were seeking ‘reality show’ drama and even creating it when it didn’t exist. Grateful it is now such a beautiful show given the wonderful and amazing talent that has always been there ❤️❤️👯♀️,” Berkley added about the ABC dancing competition.
Garth, also 54, responded, “Well said! 🤗💗.”
Us has reached out to ABC for comment.
In an Instagram video shared on Tuesday, October 6, Garth said she was “loving” the current season of Dancing With the Stars, noting that she has not watched it since her own season.
“I haven’t watched Dancing with Stars since I stepped into the ballroom in 2007… but I’m mesmerized by this season! 💃,” Garth captioned the post, linking to a bonus episode of her “I Choose Me” podcast dedicated to the show. “The work I’ve done to choose me has changed the way I see my own DWTS experience.”
While some Dancing With the Stars contestants are aware that they might leave the competition at some point, others are flabbergasted when the journey is cut short. Take Hilaria Baldwin, who was sent home after season 34’s Disney Night in October 2025. “I’ll remember the first thing my oldest daughter said. I said, ‘What happens […]
Judge Carrie Ann Inaba commented on Garth’s post, “I love this and it’s so great to see you talking about dwts and your experience. I can’t wait to hear about your internal journey.”
Berkley was among the stars who competed on DWTS season 17 in 2013, partnering with professional dancer Val Chmerkovskiy. The pair came in sixth place, with Glee’s Amber Riley and Derek Hough — now a judge on the show — winning the season.
Garth’s season aired in 2007, and she was also paired with Hough, 41. They came in fourth place, while Indy 500 champion Hélio Castroneves and Julianne Hough won the season.
In 2021, Hough exclusively told Us about his most embarrassing moment in the ballroom, which involved the Beverly Hills, 90210 actress.
“In my very first season, my second dance, this is when I’m like, ‘This is my chance. I’m going to show what I got. This is my first time on TV doing this.’ And I dropped my partner, Jennie Garth, on live television,” Hough recalled.
“Which by the way, dropping your partner and falling on live television … it was, like, the worst thing, but the good thing about that is I got that out of the way real quick,” he continued. “That’s the worst thing that could possibly happen, so it’s only uphill from here.”
