Tom Bergeron apologized for comments he made about Bobby Bones' DWTS win, saying it was not his intention to hurt Bones' feelings and that his remark was an inelegant reaction. After Bones publicly addressed the remark and even returned his Mirrorball Trophy, Bergeron issued a follow-up apology, explaining that the initial reaction came from an honest, but poorly worded, assessment and that the situation was overblown by some reporting. Bones publicly accepted the apology and noted that he admires Bergeron, while Bergeron acknowledged the need to be more careful with remarks about past contestants.