Laurie Hernandez Wins ‘Rigged’ ‘Dancing With The Stars’

Laurie Hernandez won the Mirrorball Trophy as “Dancing with the Stars” wrapped up its 23rd season — bringing new talk of the show being rigged! In September, a show insider told The National ENQUIRER that Olympic gymnast Hernandez was already the favorite of "DWtS" producers. Just a year before, a whistleblower told The ENQUIRER that Bindi Irwin was always set to win the show's 21st season!

“[Laurie]’s this year’s Bindi,” the on-set source dished to The ENQUIRER. “Squeaky-clean, adorable and incredibly popular. She’s the anti-Lochte. It sets up a natural rivalry — and a huge reason to tune in!”

Radar Online also reported that contestant Amber Rose had her own suspicions about the competition! “Amber saw the way Laurie Hernandez was given the top spot in the GMA cast announcement, and it made her think that they are playing favorites,” an insider told Radar.

Amber had good reason to be concerned, too — after The ENQUIRER exposé on how the fix was in for Bindi in 2015! The daughter of late "Crocodile Hunter" Steve Irwin was always the most popular contestant on the show, according to the source: “Show execs always prefer a good story to good dancing, and this season they rigged it so Bindi would stay on!”

Producers knew that having her take home the coveted gold Mirrorball Trophy would make for a touching triumph-over-tragedy story guaranteed to please viewers. Bindi was just 8 when her dad was killed by a stingray’s horrifying attack in 2006. “It’s Hollywood — there’s got to be a happy ending,” explained the insider.

Plenty of outraged “DWTS” fans called foul throughout Bindi's winning season. Viewers claimed “Spy Kids” beauty Alexa PenaVega and partner Mark Ballas (pictured) were sensational in one routine — yet were inexplicably given the boot. Another top performer, songbird Tamar Braxton, suddenly dropped out due to pneumonia symptoms, leading fans to suspect there was a conspiracy to allow lovable Bindi to slip into the Final Four.

That wasn't even the first time the program was rocked by “fixing” charges. In 2012, soccer star Hope Solo — a two-time Olympic gold medalist — said “‘DWTS’ is rigged” in her book “Solo: A Memoir of Hope.” Furious producers charged that she “made up the allegations merely to sell books,” said a source.

Hope wrote that “DWTS” partner Maksim Chmerkovskiy told her of the fix, though he later blasted her remarks as a “pack of lies.” But the fix was in for Bindi on the 21st season of “Dancing” — because, claimed the insider, “It was obvious the longer she stayed on the show, the fans would keep tuning in!”