Dancing With the Stars season 33 winner Joey Graziadei said he “blacked out” when his name was called.
Joey, 29, and pro dance partner Jenna Johnson, 30, took home the Mirrorball Trophy during the Tuesday, November 26, finale after scoring a perfect 30 from the judges (Derek Hough, Carrie Ann Inaba and Bruni Tonioli) for their cha-cha-cha routine to Justin Timberlake’s “Can’t Stop the Feeling!” and a near-perfect 29 for their freestyle to the tune of “Canned Heat” by District 78 and Jake Simpson.
Speaking to Us Weekly after Tuesday’s live broadcast, the former Bachelor expressed his shock at the results.
“I don’t even know how I felt. I honestly blacked out,” Joey told Us. “I just remember [Jenna] screaming really, really loud. I remember hugging her.”
“I remember Val [Chmerkovskiy] coming in,” he added, referring to last season’s winning pro dancer — and Jenna’s husband — who handed them the trophy. “I remember this [trophy] was heavier than I thought it was going to be and that was about it. That’s where we’re at now. And now we’re here.”
For her part, Jenna said it was a privilege to receive the Mirrorball Trophy from her husband, who won season 32 with actress Xochitl Gomez.
“[I felt] just so much sheer love and joy. That was a really special moment that I don’t think has ever, ever, ever happened before,” Jenna said of Val, 38. “So many people told me that they have videos of him freaking out and I can’t wait to see them. He’s been my number one supporter through this. He’s been mommy and daddy for us right now while I’ve been getting ready for this finale. So I’m just so grateful for him.”
Jenna said her trophy will “probably [go] right next to Val’s” trophy from last season, while Joey revealed that he and fiancée Kelsey Anderson, whom he popped the question to on Bachelor season 28, recently moved to Los Angeles and he plans to adorn their new apartment with his trophy.
“We just got a new apartment, so it’s our first little centerpiece that we have, so it’ll be somewhere,” he said.
Joey became the first Bachelor to win DWTS Tuesday night, but upon receiving the trophy, he gushed over his pro partner, who helped him get to the finale.
“I feel like Jenna deserves this fully and it’s all for her,” he said during Tuesday’s broadcast. “It means everything, this whole experience has been unbelievable.”
Earlier in the evening, judge Derek Hough praised Joey’s prowess on the dancefloor.
“Joey Graziadei, the showman. Joey is a natural performer,” he gushed. “Versatile, consistent and unmatched in musicality. Week after week he confidently handles complex choreography showcasing impressive range.”
With reporting by Mariel Turner.
