Anna Delvey Claims Dancing With the Stars Was Exploitative and "Predatory"

After being eliminated from Dancing With the Stars earlier this month, Anna Delvey explained why she felt “used” by the ABC reality show competition. 

By Olivia Evans Sep 30, 2024 4:49 PM
| Updated Sep 30, 2024 7:58 PM
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Watch: Anna Delvey Calls Her Appearance on ‘Dancing With the Stars’ “Exploitative”

Anna Delvey wasn’t going to dance through the pain. 

The fake heiress didn’t mince words when sharing how she felt about her negative experience on Dancing With the Stars after being axed during the show’s first round of eliminations.

“I feel that the show so obviously used me to drive up the ratings, that they never had any plans to give me any chance to grow and only cared about exploiting me for attention,” Anna told NBC News in an email statement. “It was predatory of them to try [to] make me feel inadequate and stupid all while I did get progressively better yet they chose to disregard that.” 

E! News has reached out to ABC for a response regarding Anna’s latest comments but has not yet heard back. 

This isn’t the first time Anna, who was cut alongside fellow competitor Tori Spelling and their respective pro partners Ezra Sosa and Pasha Pashkov during the Sept. 24 episode, has shared her candid take on her short-lived experience on the series. In fact, the 33-year-old also recently defended her viral comment where she said she took away “nothing” from her time on the series.

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Anna Delvey Sums Up Her Dancing With the Stars Experience With Just One Word

“You guys told me what I'm supposed to do,” she said directed at DWTS producers during the Sept. 28 episode of Tori’s MisSPELLING podcast. “I tried to do it, and then I still was rejected. I'm taking away nothing. This is what I'm taking away from it because your advice was worthless.”

Anna, whose conviction of grand larceny and theft of services for defrauding wealthy individuals and businesses led to criticism over her casting, expressed how being on the show wasn’t worth the hassle after her early elimination.

“It felt like they put so much effort trying to get me on a show, make me feel comfortable, just to eliminate me this early," she added. “It just felt a bit upsetting to me. It felt like a waste of time for me to do all of this for them to just discard me so easily.”

Disney/Eric McCandless

Meanwhile, Tori also noted on her podcast that she was surprised she was voted off so soon. And her estranged husband Dean McDermott echoed those sentiments.

“I actually thought Dancing With the Stars was a dance competition and not a popularity contest but it’s not the first time I’ve been wrong,” Dean said in a Sept. 26 Instagram video. “You did a great job. I think you should still be on the show. But that’s just me. I’m biased. So proud of you. Keep kicking ass, Tori. You’re awesome.”

Tori and Anna may have evacuated the dance floor, but keep reading to see who is still in the running for this season’s Mirrorball.

(E! and NBC News are part of the NBCUniversal family.)

Anna Delvey 

The inspriation behind Inventing Anna traded her ankle bracelet for dancing shoes alongside partner Ezra Sosa. However, the fake heiress was eliminated during the season's Sept. 24 episode, with her saying that she learned "nothing" in her now-infamous, one-word farewell speech.

Ilona Maher

The Olympic rugby player was ready to ruck up the dance floor with pro Alan Bersten, finishing as the runner-up.

Chandler Kinney 

The Disney Channel star tried to dance her way to the top with partner Brandon Armstrong and ultimately placed third.

Brooks Nader 

The model and her partner Gleb Savchenko were ready to strut along the ballroom, but took their final bow on Oct. 15.

Reginald VelJohnson

All that mattered for the Family Matters alum and partner Emma Slater was taking home the Mirrorball Trophy. However, their journey was cut short during the second week of competition on Oct. 8.

Eric Roberts 

The Dark Knight star was partnered with Britt Stewart. They were eliminated in the second week alongside Reginald and Emma.

Joey Graziadei

The Bachelor alum has found his rose between thorns in partner Jenna Johnson, winning season 33.

Tori Spelling 

The alum of Beverly Hills, 90210 was oh so ready to dance alongside Pasha Pashkov. Unfortunately, the two last only one week and was cut from competition in a double elimination alongside Anna and Ezra.

Danny Amendola 

The NFL pro and partner Witney Carson sure scored a touchdown on the dance floor, placing fifth in the finale.

Dwight Howard 

The NBA star hoped to stand head and shoulders above the competition with partner Daniella Karagach, but was eliminated from the competition on Nov. 12.

Stephen Nedoroscik 

The Olympian had his sights set on another medal—or should we say, Mirrorball Trophy—with partner Rylee Arnold, placing fourth in the Nov. 26 finale.

Phaedra Parks 

The Traitors alum was sure to weed out the competition with partner Val Chmerkovskiy, but ended up getting cut from the lineup Oct. 22.

Jenn Tran

Though Bachelorette star and partner Sasha Farber were full bloom in the ballroom, they were eliminated from the competition on Oct. 29.

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