Television December 05, 2023
Xochitl Gomez Reacts to ‘DWTS’ Win: ‘Couldn’t Believe It’ (Exclusive)
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The “Dancing with the Stars” finale just revealed who won Season 32!
Xochitl Gomez and Val Chmerkovskiy were the big winners who took home the first “Dancing with the Stars” Len Goodman Mirrorball Trophy.
The award was renamed in honor of former judge Goodman, who passed away in April.
ABC
Xochitl and Val faced some tough competition including: Ariana Madix and Pasha Pashkov Jason Mraz and Daniella Karagach, Charity Lawson and Artem Chigvintsev and Alyson Hannigan and Sasha Farber.
Each team had to perform a redemption and freestyle number, and Xochitl and Val wowed with both their performances receiving perfect scores for their foxtrot to Katy Perry’s “Unconditionally” and freestyle dance to District 78’s “Que Calor.”
"Extra's" Melvin Robert spoke with Xochitl and Val after their big win.
Gomez gushed, “It feels great… I couldn’t believe it and then being lifted up, I was like are we for real right now?”
She later added, "I don’t want it to end… out of everything I’ll miss… being surrounded by such happy, kind people.”
Val also talked about winning for the third time, saying, "It has been seven years, so this one is really special to me."
Chmerkovskiy dedicated the award to Xochitl and his wife Jenna Johnson, saying of Jenna, “She really had to hold it down, we have a new kid, a 10 month old, so Jen has been a part of… every single thing you see me out here enjoying and taking credit for she is a part of. I definitely wouldn’t have been able to accomplish this with Xochitl without her help.”
Reflecting on being the first recipient of the Len Goodman Mirrorball Trophy, Val said, "I feel really proud to be a continuation of Len Goodman’s legacy and continuing to further ballroom dance."
