"These articles are so wrong": Dancing with the Stars' Alan Bersten denies arguing backstage with partner Emma Slater

With the conclusion of Dancing with the Stars season 34, the pros are now speaking out on the rumors and speculation about what goes on behind the scenes of the dance competition. 

In the December 2, 2025, episode of the House of Maher podcast, pros Emma Slater and Alan Bersten broke their silence on rumors that they had a tense argument backstage after Andy Richter’s elimination. 

Both dancers denied ever arguing with one another, as Alan pointed out:

“When she got eliminated, there was an article, ‘Alan and Emma are fighting.’ I didn’t even see it. But my mom’s like, ‘Are you guys fighting?’ I was like, ‘What? What?’ A lot of these articles are so wrong.”

He dismissed allegations about his fight with his partner and also other stories about there being a “toxic energy” behind the scenes on Dancing with the Stars. 

Both Emma and Alan argued in the opposite direction, saying the rumors were purely speculative and were far from the reality of the situation. 

Alan and Emma confirmed their relationship after months of fans speculating about their closeness. They revealed their relationship to the world during the April 2025 show of Dancing with the Stars: Live!

Dancing with the Stars alums Alan and Emma note that the atmosphere behind the scenes is supportive

On the December 2 episode of the podcast, Emma and Alan addressed reports about the “toxic energy” on set, which also claimed that some of the pros were even threatening to quit the show. 

It was a reference to an article published by The Sun on October 21, 2025, which claimed:

“There is tension brewing between the professional dancers. The vets are feeling overshadowed by the show’s newer younger talent. And there have been passive-aggressive remarks on set. Some of the older pros are really getting fed up with the producers’ strategic partner preferences.”

They also reported that the situation behind the scenes was so bad that Jenna Johnson and Brandon Armstrong considered quitting the show. 

However, Alan and Emma noted that the reports were not true. Emma shared on the podcast that everybody on the show created a “collaborative, supportive atmosphere,” irrespective of where they stood in the competition. 

She went on to deny all claims of having a “toxic” energy backstage, saying that it was actually the contrary. When asked to describe Dancing with the Stars using one word, she said that it was “wholesome.”

While reflecting on the rumors circulating about their own argument, she mentioned that their alleged fight was witnessed by “some crew person” before clarifying that such an incident never happened. 

Alan chimed in, saying that the video used to attest to their alleged fight was one in which the two of them were stepping into the studio the day after Emma’s elimination with Andy. 

The Dancing with the Stars couple explained that, irrespective of what stories circulated on social media or in articles, they never saw each other as competitors. 

Instead, they stood by one another and supported each other throughout the competition. Alan even mentioned that Emma was ready to help him out in case she got eliminated before him. 

That said, he added that it was comforting to have someone who would support him on his Dancing with the Stars journey, since it was “so time-consuming” and exhausting.

Stay tuned for more updates.