Corey Feldman Doesn’t Hold Back About the ‘Toxic’ Behind-the-Scenes of ‘DWTS’

Corey Feldman is speaking out about the “toxic” behind-the-scenes culture of Dancing With The Stars.

The former child star, 54, was the first eliminated on this season of the reality competition series. During a preview for an upcoming episode of the Gurvey’s Law radio show, obtained by the Daily Mail, Feldman opened up about some of the less glamorous parts of his experience.

“There was a lot of stupidity in the mudslinging that went on behind the scenes,” Feldman said. “Actually there, everything was great. But the behind-the-scenes drama and BS that people throw around that show, I’ve never seen anything like it. It’s the worst, like, most toxic.”

RELATED: Rylee Arnold Breaks Silence on Rumors She Won’t Be Asked to Return to ‘DWTS’ Next Season

He clarified that his negative experiences had nothing to do with the cast and crew, noting his professional dance partner Jenna Johnson was “wonderful.”

“It’s nobody there on the set. Like there on the set everybody gets along,” he explained. “Everybody’s great. Everybody’s happy. You’re working hard. You don’t even have time to look up. You’re just working.”

He continued, “You start reading these things in the paper, like, ‘This person’s mad at this person. These people aren’t talking to each other.’ Or, ‘Are people working hard enough?’ ‘Corey Feldman destroyed the show. He destroyed the whole show because he was such an egomaniac it’s so difficult to work with.'”

Feldman specifically mentioned comments by former DWTS pro Maks Chmerkovskiy, who is Johnson’s brother in law through her marriage to his brother Val Chmerkovskiy.

“All the cast shows up, you know, all smiles and say how great they are together and ‘we’re friends’ and blah, blah, blah, but that’s surface,” Maks told the Daily Mail in an interview published on Sept. 23. “Sometimes it’s not the case.”

“Obviously, Jenna has a bit of an uphill climb with Corey, which is easy for everybody to say from [outside], but I know that she’s having a much more difficult time with this entire thing and to the point that it is really difficult for her,” he added.

RELATED: Corey Feldman Responds to Rumors His ‘DWTS’ Season With Jenna Johnson Was ‘Difficult’

During his radio appearance, Feldman said he asked Johnson where Maks’ comments were coming from.

“Oh it’s just Maks,” she allegedly responded, according to Feldman. “Don’t pay attention to him. He just wants attention.”

The DWTS contestant also shared that all the eliminated couples were coming back to perform for the show’s finale on Tuesday, Nov. 25, but that he was not looking forward to being back on the ballroom floor.

Dancing with the Stars airs LIVE on Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET/PT on ABC and Disney+ and streams next day on Hulu.

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This story was originally reported by Parade on Nov 22, 2025, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Parade as a Preferred Source by clicking here.