Ilona Maher is no stranger to being a fierce participant in the reality show Dancing with the Stars after winning her career-first Olympic bronze medal in Paris. She has been in the spotlight of many fans, as she has kept up well with the challenge in the entertainment industry with her prolific dancing skills. The 28-year-old is also aware of the rumors that have been circulating in her community, especially her possibly starring in another reality show, Bachelorette. 

This is also not the first time Maher has acknowledged the speculations that her fans have been making. However, the rugby star once again addressed these rumors in a humorous manner, teasing many of her fans with this specific statement before heading toward the season 33 finale of DWTS.

Playing with the rumors

“Look, I play on what people want, okay? I’m a creator; I play on what people want,“ Ilona Maher made it clear during an interview with Access Hollywood. While delivering this statement, she was present with her DWTS duo, Alan Bersten, who was also taken aback by the way the rugby star trolled her fans, generating rumors about her aspiring to be in the reality show.

Furthermore, she emphasized the reason for not wanting to be a part of Bachelorette, stating, “Um, I don’t know if I would ever do it. I don’t know if my grandmother would want to see that. As I was saying, I would love to date 30 men, but just like on camera, it seems tough; seems like not my vibe.“ She acknowledged making a video with the former Bachelor, which was just for the cinematographic purpose only. So what was all the video about?

A few days ago, before becoming the DWTS finalist, Maher did a hilarious skit with Joey Graziadei. In the video, the former Bachelor was guiding the 28-year-old on her path to becoming the next Bachelorette. She even included a note on the video, stating, “Joey teaching me to be the next bachelorette cause y’all keep spreading these rumors.” 

Maher didn’t expect the fans to speculate about her appearance in the popular reality show, which, even though it might be a good option for her entertainment career, is something she isn’t aspiring to be in currently. After making this statement, her DWTS duo, Bersten, also chimed into the conversation, setting a demand that he want to be the “producer on the show“ if the rugby star ever wanted to go for it. 

Both of them just burst into laughter as it showed the bond that they have beyond just being dancing partners in the reality show. The relationship that the DWTS duo has been sharing since the start of season 33 is quite visible to the public. Recently, after being qualified for the finals, Maher sent out a candid note on her social media, mentioning Bersten.

Ilona Maher’s heartfelt confession before the season finale

Prior to arriving at the stage of DWTS, Ilona Maher had no idea what fate had in store for her. While she was basking in the glory of her Olympic bronze medal, the entertainment industry was completely unknown to her and was set to face a ton of challenges. However, Alan Bersten entered the scene as not only her mentor but also her dance partner, which was eventually the best that she could’ve wanted.

The rugby star admitted the fact about her duo on her Instagram post while posting a clip from their semi-final routine, stating, “I wanted to dedicate this dance to the best partner I could have hoped for on this show, Alan. This experience has been one I will remember for the rest of my life with fondness because of what you made it for me.”

She admired every moment that they shared together on or off the stage, and when the message reached the 30-year-old DWTS professional, it moved him to tears, as he stated, “And I’m crying.” Even if it was on social media, both of them shared a wholesome moment, and it just showed their bond prior to the finale of season 33 of Dancing with the Stars, which will air on November 26.