'I'm So Mad': Dancing With the Stars Fans Question Maura Higgins' Scores After Tatyana Snub

Dancing with the Stars viewers have accused the judging panel of getting it wrong after Maura Higgins was awarded 35 out of 40 for her Irish-themed Paso Doble, three points more than Tatyana Ali's 32, on Tuesday night's live show in Los Angeles.

Many fans argued on social media that Ali's routine attracted fewer technical criticisms than Higgins' but was still marked lower. ABC has not publicly commented on the complaints.

Scores Spark Dancing With the Stars Backlash

Ali's total included four eights. Higgins, who was criticised by the judges over her shoulders and an unauthorised lift, received three nines and an eight.

'Maura gets multiple critiques about her shoulders and gets 9s but Tatyana gets no criticism and gets all 8s? I'm so mad rn,' one viewer wrote. Another said: 'Love Maura, but think Tatyana's scores should have been the same if not higher.'

A third commented: 'All talked abt her frame but then gave her 9s??? Already starting w the voting bias.' The claim is the viewer's own and has not been substantiated.

The judges' marks are combined with the public vote under the show's format, and the panel has discretion over its scores.

Other viewers defended Higgins. 'This was more than just a dance, this was the Irish spirit coming to life,' one wrote. Another called it their 'favourite dance of the night'.

Maura Higgins' Irish Tribute on Dedication Night

The routine came on 'Dedication Night', when the 10 remaining couples honoured someone or somewhere meaningful to them. Higgins, from Longford, chose Ireland.

She danced with professional partner Mark Ballas and Lucky Howard, a dancer from Lord of the Dance, to I'm Shipping Up to Boston by Dropkick Murphys. She wore a tricolour-inspired dress.

Judges Derek Hough and Bruno Tonioli and guest judge Kym Johnson each awarded a nine. Carrie Ann Inaba gave an eight, saying she 'loved the attack' but deducting a point for the lift and again raising Higgins' shoulders.

Johnson said: 'You made me want to go to an Irish pub with you or something. It was so good.' Tonioli told Higgins: 'It hit you like a storm in the Irish Sea.' He also warned her to take care with her shoulder and Spanish line.

It was Higgins' highest score of the competition so far.

In rehearsal footage, Higgins said that although people in Ireland cannot vote, she still feels their support 'thousands of miles away'. Michael Flatley, the creator of Lord of the Dance, sent a video message saying 'the whole of Ireland is so proud of you'.

Before the show, Higgins posted an Instagram tribute to Ireland, saying she was 'so proud to come from a little country with such a big heart'.

What Happens Next for Maura Higgins and Tatyana Ali

No couples were eliminated this week. A double elimination is scheduled for next week, and Higgins' 35 points and Ali's 32 will count towards the totals.

The final outcome will depend on a combination of those judges' scores and the public vote, so both Higgins and Ali will need strong routines and viewer support in the next live show if they are to avoid being among the two pairs sent home.