Olympic rugby star Ilona Maher accidentally made a raunchy hand gesture to cameras while in the audience of Dancing With The Stars (DWTS), and her immediate reaction has left fans in stitches. The professional rugby union player, currently inactive, sat in the front row for Yacht Rock Night, supporting the celebrity contestants and their professional partners.
What Happened on Yacht Rock Night
Maher, who competed on the show in 2024 and finished second with partner Alan Bersten, was watching rather than performing when she inadvertently made a rude gesture at the camera. As crews captured her group promoting the upcoming DWTS Official Podcast episode, she made enthusiastic gestures, including placing one hand on top of the other beneath her face.
Realizing what the pose resembled, she stopped immediately, pulled a comical expression, and laughed at herself. When the camera returned to host Alfonso Ribeiro, Maher was seen mouthing, "it was a microphone." She also posted on Instagram: "Guys, I was trying to mimic taking into a microphone. Not to self: that does not translate with hand gestures."
Fans React to the Viral Moment
The video quickly spread on TikTok, drawing amused reactions. One fan commented: "I busted out laughing so hard lmfaoooo it would be Ilona to do something like that." Another said: "She went through the 7 stages of grief in less than 10 seconds before our eyes." A third added: "I totally missed this while watching and now I can't stop laughing! I almost died from laughing so hard!"
Elimination and Scores This Week
Singer Taylor Hanson and his partner Britt Stewart were eliminated after their Foxtrot to "What a Fool Believes" scored 18/30. Co-hosts Julianne Hough and Ribeiro also announced that Guillermo Rodriguez and Jackson Olson were at risk. Harry Shum Jr. and Jenna Johnson scored 24/30 for their Jive to "You Make My Dreams (Come True)", tying with Amber Glenn and Pasha Pashkov's Foxtrot to "Hold the Line".
