The Worst "Dancing With The Stars" Contestant Ever, According to the Pros
Andrew Mckinney
Updated on February 22, 2026
Not everyone on Dancing with the Stars can shine onstage—it's part of what makes the competition so entertaining. While some celebs have shocked judges and pros alike with how talented they turned out to be, others were cringe-inducing. The professional dancers seem to be in agreement about which star was the worst to ever sashay across the stage: Master P. To find out why everyone agrees he was the worst DWTS contestant, read on, and for more updates on the series, This Rare Condition Forced a Contestant to Withdraw From DWTS.
Rapper and actor Percy Robert Miller, better known as Master P, competed on DWTS' second season in 2006 when his son, Romeo Miller, dropped out last minute due to cold feet, the New York Daily News reported. Although Master P received some of the lowest scores ever given by the judges, he managed to remain on the show until the fourth episode thanks to the fans at home.
DWTS pro Cheryl Burke told Us Weekly that Master P was the "worst dancer, hands down." Burke claimed he "did absolutely nothing but stand there," and if you watch the video evidence, you'll probably be inclined to agree.
But Burke wasn't the only professional dancer to make disparaging comments about Master P's dancing skills. DWTS pro Witney Carson also named Master P the worst DWTS contestant—along with Kim Kardashian—in an interview with Us Weekly.
Although she wasn't around for the second season, DWTS pro Sharna Burgess recalls being sent videos of Master P's performances. "It was all awful. That was real bad," Burgess told Us Weekly. "But that was also in the beginning, too when, I mean, admittedly, he wasn't trying, 'cause he was too cool for school. But everyone was just figuring out this new show at that point, I think."
Even DTWS judge Carrie Anna Inaba agreed Master P's performances were lackluster. "I love him, but his dancing… well, you know," she told Hollywood Life.
Although it seems like the pro dancers have come to a consensus that Master P was the worst dancer to ever grace the DWTS stage, he is unbothered by the criticism. "I had a great time," he said during a 2015 panel, as the New York Daily News reported. Master P explained that he wanted to bring some positive attention to his hometown of New Orleans following Hurricane Katrina.
"I knew people were going to make fun of me and laugh, but I say it's worth it because I wanted to make sure that we brought that light and hopefully bring some of the people back together," the rapper said. "And it worked."
Although Master P may be widely regarded as the worst contestant, there are plenty of other stars that didn't exactly rise to the occasion. Here are four other DWTS contestants that weren't the smoothest operators on the dance floor, and for stars who said no to the series, check out these Celebrities Who Turned Down Dancing With the Stars.
1 Kate Gosselin
While appearing on Anderson Cooper's talk show, Anderson, pro Tony Dovolani, who was partnered with Kate Plus 8 star Kate Gosselin during the show's tenth season, got candid about dancing with the reality personality. "I always feel bad for you because you got stuck with Kate Gosselin. I remember watching her dance. I'm still traumatized by that experience," Cooper said.
"Wait, wait. Anderson, did you just call it a dance? We didn't dance," Dovolani responded. And for more fun content delivered straight to your inbox, sign up for our daily newsletter.
2 David Hasselhoff
Actor David Hasselhoff appeared on DWTS' eleventh season for just one episode. Hasselhoff's cha-cha was so subpar that judge Bruno Tonioli referred to it as "a potpourri of insanity disguised as dance." And for more DWTS news, Tyra Banks Is Defending Her Major Dancing With the Stars Gaffe.
3 Steve Wozniak
Former showrunner Conrad Green told The Hollywood Reporter that they wanted to cast Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak because he was the most "left-field booking imaginable." Wozniak functioned as exactly that on Season 8 of DWTS.
"He did the most distinctive interpretation of the worm ever seen on any dance floor," Green said. "Bruno Tonioli is still shuddering at the memory." And for a walk down memory lane, revisit these Celebrities You Won't Believe Did Dancing With the Stars.
4 Michael Bolton
Singer-songwriter Michael Bolton clashed with judge Tonioli while on DWTS' eleventh season. Tonioli said Bolton's performance was "the worst jive [he'd seen] in 11 seasons." Tonioli went on, "You did it all very, very, very badly."
According to ABC News, Bolton said he "just didn't expect that level of disrespect" and subsequently demanded an apology from the judge. However, the show's producers maintained that the judge shouldn't have to apologize for doing his job. And for celebrities who passed on another reality competition, here are 5 Stars Who Turned Down The Masked Singer.
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