Tonya Harding Spotted At ‘DWTS’ Practice Amid Show’s Backlash

Tonya Harding was spotted taking a smoke break during her Dancing with the Stars rehearsal on Wednesday.

The controversial figure skater appeared to be in high spirits amid her return to stardom, despite backlash against her inclusion in the show.

Former figure skater allegedly planned an attack on her former-rival Nancy Kerrigan in 1994 and was asked to join the cast of DWTS following the success of her bio-pic I, Tonya—which chronicled the controversy surrounding the attack.

Nancy appeared on the show just two seasons prior, but the decision to include Tonya along with some other controversial athletes was met with sharp criticism.

“Tonya joining this season’s cast may be great for ratings, but it is a nightmare for production,” one ABC insider said earlier this month.

“She is one of the most demanding and difficult people in the industry to work with,” adding that she requested a large amount of money following her film’s success.

Dancing With the Stars' all-athlete season premieres Monday, April 30 at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.