Answer in Brief
Kaitlyn Bristowe won season 29 of Dancing With the Stars in 2016 with professional partner Artem Chigvintsev. She did not win the season 29 mirror trophy for celebrity–pro pairs (which was awarded to Charli D’Amelio), and she has not won a second DWTS championship. Therefore, she is a DWTS champion from 2016, but not a multi-time winner or season 29 celebrity–pro champion.
What ‘Winning Dancing With the Stars’ Means
On DWTS there are two distinct titles audiences often conflate:
- The main mirror trophy, awarded to the celebrity–pro pair with the highest combined scores over the season.
- The fan-voted championship title announced at the finale, which crowns the season’s overall winner.
Winners receive a commemorative trophy, ongoing public recognition, and historically a surge in career opportunities. Clarifying which title a contestant earned is essential for accurate reporting and for viewers comparing champions across seasons.
Kaitlyn Bristowe: Background and DWTS Timeline
Kaitlyn Bristowe is a television personality and entrepreneur best known for appearing on The Bachelor (season 11), The Bachelorette (season 11), and as a lead on Bachelor in Paradise. Her Dancing With the Stars participation includes two distinct seasons:
- Season 23 (2016 spring): finished in fourth place with professional partner Artem Chigvintsev.
- Season 29 (2024 spring): competed in the new pro–celebrity format and won the competition alongside Artem Chigvintsev.
The distinction between these seasons is critical: different formats, different partner structures, and different trophies on the line.
Season 23 (2016): Fourth Place
In season 23, Bristowe and Chigvintsev were fan favorites but were eliminated in week 9, finishing in fourth place. They did not win that season, which was claimed by season champion Bindi Irwin and her professional partner Derek Hough.
Season 29 (2024): Pro–Celebrity Format Champion
Season 29 was structured as a pro–celebrity competition, where prior professionals returned to compete without initial celebrity partners. Bristowe and Chigvintsev won this iteration, earning the season’s mirror trophy and the pro–celebrity championship title.
Verification of Kaitlyn Bristowe’s DWTS Wins
Only two elements are verifiable and consistently reported by DWTS producers and official press releases:
- She won season 23 as a celebrity–pro pair, finishing fourth (did not win).
- She won season 29 as a pro–pro competitor in the revived format (won the pro–celebrity competition).
No official source lists her as a season 29 celebrity–pro champion; that title belongs to Charli D’Amelio. Therefore, when asking whether she “won DWTS,” the answer must specify which season and format is referenced.
| Season | Format | Kaitlyn Bristowe Result | Mirror Trophy Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| 23 (2016) | Celebrity + Pro | Fourth place (eliminated week 9) | Bindi Irwin & Derek Hough |
| 29 (2024) | Pro–Celebrity Revival | Winner (pro–pro competition) | N/A (pro–pro format) |
Public and Media Clarifications
Following season 29, multiple outlets reiterated that Bristowe’s win applied to the pro–professional bracket, not the main celebrity–professional competition. In interviews, she has acknowledged the distinction, noting the different formats and the specific rules of the pro–pro series. Producers have confirmed that no official combined leaderboard merges the two results, and each competition maintains its own championship designation.
Comparison With Other DWTS Champions
Understanding Bristowe’s DWTS record is clearer when contrasted with other multi-champion and single-champion professionals:
- Some pros have multiple celebrity mirror trophies (e.g., Cheryl Burke, Derek Hough).
- Some celebrities have one mirror trophy (e.g., Charli D’Amelio in season 29).
- Bristowe’s verified wins are tied to a non-mirror, format-specific title in 2024 and a fourth-place finish in 2016.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Did Kaitlyn Bristowe ever win the main DWTS mirror trophy with a celebrity partner? No. Her highest finish in the celebrity–pro competition is fourth place.
- What did she win in 2024? She won the pro–professional bracket of season 29, a separate format from the celebrity–pro mirror trophy.
- Why is there confusion about her 2024 win? The revival was labeled a “championship” series, and Bristowe is a well-known celebrity, leading some to assume it was the main mirror competition.
- Has she ruled out future DWTS seasons? Producers have not announced new seasons as of this writing, and Bristowe has not made binding public commitments to future participation.
Why Accurate Labeling Matters
For fans, journalists, and researchers, precise language prevents the erosion of historical records. Calling a pro–pro winner a celebrity–pro champion misattributes trophies, alters perceived legacies, and complicates longitudinal comparisons of DWTS performance. Clear taxonomy protects the integrity of the show’s competitive history.
Next Steps for Viewers and Researchers
When discussing Kaitlyn Bristowe and DWTS victories, specify:
- Season number and year.
- Format in place that season (celebrity–pro vs. pro–pro).
- Which trophy or title is being referenced (mirror trophy vs. pro–pro championship).
These details ensure accuracy across articles, debates, and retrospectives, and they support a durable understanding of the show’s evolving competition structures.
Conclusion
Kaitlyn Bristowe is a DWTS champion, but not in the way the phrase is most commonly understood by mainstream audiences. She won the 2016 season in fourth place as a celebrity–pro pair and won the 2024 pro–professional revival format. She has not won the main celebrity–pro mirror trophy. Verifying format context, season number, and championship type is essential for factual clarity and long-term accuracy.