19.2 million people watch Donny Osmond win
APNews
Nov 25, 2009
An estimated 19.2 million people watched Donny Osmond win "Dancing With the Stars" _ the smallest audience for the show's finale since the first season.
This was the ninth edition of the contest, one of television's most popular shows. The Nielsen Co. says ratings have been down all season for the show, an indication that viewers weren't as attached to the contestants as they had in the past.
Osmond said the show has been a highlight in a career of ups and downs. He competed during the show's finale Tuesday against singer Mya and Kelly Osbourne, daughter of rock star Ozzy Osbourne.
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NEW YORK (AP) _ Donny Osmond was declared the new champion of "Dancing With Stars" on Tuesday night, taking home the show's mirror ball trophy in the season finale of the ABC contest reality program.
Osmond, the former teen pop star of the singing Osmond family, said the show has been a highlight in a career of ups and downs.
"I did it!" Osmond exclaimed. He promptly rushed to the audience and plucked out his wife, Debbie, whom he carried across the stage.
Helping push Osmond over the top was the tango he performed Tuesday with his professional dancing partner, Kym Johnson. Judge Carrie Ann Inaba hailed it as "artistry in motion." It earned the top score of the final performances.
Three celebrities made it to the finale of the show's ninth season _ Osmond, Mya and Kelly Osbourne, the daughter of Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne. The show picks a winner with a combination of judges' scores and viewer votes.
Mya entered as the favorite, having won the highest scores on Monday's show. Dancing with Dmitry Chaplin, she performed a jive.
"I'm just so happy to have made it to the finals," Mya said after the loss.
The 30-year-old singer is most famous for collaborating on the Grammy-winning hit "Lady Marmalade" from the soundtrack of 2001's "Moulin Rouge!"
Osbourne was the first of the three eliminated.
With her famous family _ Ozzy, Sharon and Jack _ looking on, Osbourne and professional partner Louis Van Amstel danced to a cover of Ray LaMontagne's "Trouble." The 25-year-old was clearly moved and began crying after her last dance.
She thanked the audience and said she had "grown so much" during the show. Co-host Samantha Harris said Osbourne had become "a swan."
The finale culminated a season of good ratings for "Dancing With the Stars," which consistently ranked as one of the most-watched shows of the fall.