Gabby Windey Defends Her Awkward 'Dancing With the Stars' Kiss With Erich Schwer (Exclusive)

Leaving it all on the dance floor! Gabby Windey and Val Chmerkovskiy have been at the top of the leaderboard for three weeks in a row on Dancing With the Stars — but it hasn’t been easy.

The Strictly Come Dancing journey kicked off last week with the brand new batch of 15 celebrities and their professional partners making their debut in the ballroom.

Putting in the work. While discussing season 31 of Dancing With the Stars, Val Chmerkovskiy praised his partner Gabby Windey and opened up about how they work so well together.

Fifteen celebs took to the dancefloor for the first time at the weekend as they launched the Strictly Come Dancing class of 22. A host of stars kicked off the BBC dance contest to take us through autumn through to December and topping the leaderboard on Saturday night was snake-hipped Will Mellor.

“Dancing With the Stars” Season 20 ended in pro dancer Val Chmerkovskiy’s first mirrorball win – with celebrity partner Rumer Willis – and after hearing judge Carrie Ann Inaba suggest on Monday night she saw a similar chemistry in how he’s working with “Bachelorette” Gabby Windey, the ballroom star couldn’t help but reflect on the comparison.“That’s a huge compliment,” Chmerkovskiy told reporters over Zoom. “I think Rumer is an amazing artist. She had the right attitude when she entered the competition.

Finally feels real! Gabby Windey and Erich Schwer couldn’t be happier about being able to show off their romance in public after the Bachelorette finale.

Can’t help falling in love! Bachelorette star Gabby Windey’s fiancé Erich Schwer visited her during rehearsal for Dancing With the Stars ahead of her Elvis Night performance.

Emily Longeretta Week two of “Dancing With the Stars” was all about Elvis Presley. The 15 pairs each performed to a different song from the King of Rock and Roll on Monday night, with hopes of earning better scores than the premiere week. Some of the dancers were masked, as four crew members and pro dancer Danella Karagach tested positive for Covid-19 following the first episode.

Her final rose! Gabby Windey got engaged to Erich Schwer on season 19 of The Bachelorette, but like most relationships in Bachelor Nation, their journey was full of ups and downs.

A familiar feeling. Becca Kufrin compared Bachelorette winner Erich Schwer‘s blackface controversy to her former fiancé Garrett Yrigoen‘s 2018 social media scandal.

Elizabeth Wagmeister Senior Correspondent This week’s season finale of “The Bachelorette” saw a happy ending for leading lady, Gabby Windey, who received a proposal from her final suitor, Erich Schwer. But despite the couple’s engagement, their road to find love on reality TV was not without controversy — and not just the on-screen drama you expect from a dating show, but the real trouble that comes with being thrust into the public spotlight. Towards the end of the season, an old photo from Schwer’s high school yearbook surfaced online, showing the then-teenager wearing blackface as part of a high school Halloween costume in which he dressed up as Jimi Hendrix with dark makeup and an afro wig.

Erich Schwer had a lot to answer for when he and Gabby Windey reunited on The Bachelorette: After the Final Rose on Tuesday, September 20.

Getting their happy ending. Erich Schwer proposed to Gabby Windey during the season 19 finale of The Bachelorette on Tuesday, September 20.

Gabby Windey found her love! On Tuesday's season finale of , the nurse got engaged to Erich Schwer, a real estate analyst.After initially expressing interest in both Gabby and her co-lead, Rachel Recchia, Erich quickly moved firmly into the former's camp of suitors.At the largest group date in franchise history, Gabby told ET that Erich was «such a pleasant surprise.»«I was initially kind of fearful to explore my relationship with him, because he reminds me of the men I've dated in the past, but getting to know him, he really was such a sweet soul,» Gabby said of Erich. "… We have such an easy, vulnerable connection that I kind of can’t believe that it’s happening so fast.«The pair went on to have a one-on-one date that was anything but typical, as Gabby's grandpa joined them for a day of bowling.

Bachelorette bombshell. Season 19 finalist Erich Schwer is no stranger to controversy — and he once again found himself in hot water when texts between him and ex-girlfriend Amanda Kaylor were leaked last week.

Season 19 of The Bachelorette may come to a dramatic end for both Gabby Windey and Rachel Recchia.

Advice from the best! Gabby Windey revealed that she’s gotten a few tips from two former Bachelorettes who’ve also competed on — and won — Dancing With the Stars: Kaitlyn Bristowe and Hannah Brown.

Subtle shade? Several of Gabby Windey and Rachel Recchia’s former suitors celebrated their Bachelorette friendship — with a seemingly pointed dig at finalist Tino Franco.

Gabby Windey has Rachel Recchia to thank for her gig. On the latest episode of SiriusXM's , Robert Mills, Senior Vice President, Alternative Series, Specials & Late-Night Programming, ABC Entertainment, revealed how the pilot pushed for her co-lead to compete on .«Gabby is actually on — and this is the God's honest truth — she's on because of Rachel,» Robert said. «When we were at CMA Fest in Nashville in June, we were having dinner and Rachel said, 'You have to put Gabby on.

It seems Erich Schwer is already in the hot seat before After the Final Rose. A former flame of Gabby Windey’s Bachelorette finalist has leaked alleged text messages suggesting that he didn’t go on the show for the right reasons.