When Stephen Nedoroscik performed that beautiful Pommel horse to win the US men’s gymnastics team the bronze medal, barely anyone would’ve conceived of him as being a finalist at Dancing With the Stars three months later. Yet here we are. Now, the gymnast has a chance to achieve something incredible on Tuesday by adding the DWTS trophy to his already glowing list of achievements this year. However, with contestants like Ilona Maher, Chandler Kinney, and Joey Graziadei still remaining, this task won’t be easy at all.

His biggest challenge would likely be the latter, as Joey has garnered significant praise from fans and scored an impressive 58/60 from the judges. This stellar performance has placed him in the lead for victory, with his sights firmly set on the trophy. Reflecting on his journey, the former Bachelor contestant has truly had a remarkable run on the show.

All about Joey Graziadei’s DWTS journey leading up to the finale

Alongside his partner Jenna Johnson, Joey Graziadei has continued to grow as both a dancer and performer with each passing week. The duo has consistently introduced fresh styles and innovative choreography in nearly every episode, earning widespread acclaim from fans and judges alike. Their progress was evident on the score sheet as well, culminating in their first perfect 30 during the semi-finals.

By qualifying for the finals, Joey Graziadei became the first ever former Bachelor contestant to do so, creating reality television history. When he spoke to the US weekly after the semi-finals, he expressed his delight in words. He said, “It’s unbelievable… It was a great night. We knew we had two dances that we loved and just to have everything come together, to have it kind of be what it was, it’s everything we’ve hoped for. So right now, I’m just really happy.” Joey also disclosed how he and his partner were already planning for the finals, “My mind’s just thinking, ‘OK, next week, next week, gotta do it again.” Thus, next week will mean quite a lot to Joey Graziadei.

Who are Joey Graziadei’s parents? Learn all about the DWTS star’s family

Joey Graziadei’s parents are Nick Graziadei and Cathy Pagliaro. When Joey was in kindergarten, his father came out as gay, leading to his parents’ divorce. Despite this, Joey has shared that both Nick and Cathy have been incredible co-parents. He often expresses his admiration for his father, calling him one of his favorite people in the world. Joey also shares a strong bond with his mother, as he lived with her during his upbringing.

To this day, the parents share a very cordial relationship, which was revealed by Nick during his appearance at the ‘Bachelor Happy Hour’ podcast. He said, “Making that decision [to come out] and then her getting sick was hard, too, because I’m like, ‘What am I doing here?’… I love Cathy still to this day but it’s just like that happiness was not going to be there, and it was unfair to [the kids].” Thus, they are both very close to each other and even attended the Bachelor final. This is why they are also expected to be in attendance for the blockbuster Dancing with the Stars finals.

Who is Joey Graziadei’s fiancé, Kelsey Anderson?

For his performances, Joey Graziadei has definitely earned the fan’s plaudits and love. But for him, his biggest fan is his fiancee, Kelsey Anderson. She has been by his side throughout this journey, offering him motivation whenever needed. “Kelsey’s emotionally invested, that’s for sure,” the DWTS contestant told FIRST for Women. “I think every time I look at her, I blow her a kiss before we dance. She looks way more nervous than I do,” he added. This is very reflective of their relationship, which blossomed uniquely.

Kelsey Anderson was one of the participants at Bachelor season 28 vying for Joey Graziadei. At the season finale, Joey popped the question to her, to which she said yes. Apparently, they became a couple well before the show ended but had to hide their relationship from others until the final, which they successfully managed to do. Since then, they have been engaged and have supported each other through every facet of life, which includes Dancing With the Stars.

Career highlights and major achievements of the DWTS star

Joey Graziadei is a tennis player by profession and is based in Pennsylvania. He has also received the professional designation to be a coach of the sport now, using which he worked at Kukuiula Resort in Hawaii as their lifestyle and experience ambassador. Since then, the player has achieved a lot in reality television, first appearing in Bachelorette season 20 as a contestant vying for the hand of Charity Lawson.

He eventually lost out to Dotun Olebeko, who got engaged to Charity. But, as a reward for being second, he was made the Bachelor in the show’s 28th season, where he eventually met his fiancee, Kelsey Anderson. Now, on Tuesday, he will be aiming for another huge reality TV glory as the DWTS champion. He definitely has what it takes to win the show but would face huge challenges from the other contestants. This is why it will be a great final for the viewers.