Jenna Johnson has opened up about how "wild" Joey romance speculation really affected her during Dancing with the Stars' 33rd season.

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Joey, who is engaged to his The Bachelor 28 winner Kelsey Anderson, and Jenna, who is happily married to fellow Dancing with the Stars pro Val Chmerkovskiy, had natural chemistry on and off stage during their stint on the ABC reality dancing competition.

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But many fans mistook Jenna and Joey's friendly connection to be an intimate and romantic one, and the pair was often accused of flirtation and crossing the line.

During a joint appearance on a recent episode of the "Bachelor Happy Hour" podcast, Jenna shared how rumors really bothered her as she attempted to turn Joey into a dancer.

"I've been on the show for a while, and so it's nothing that I'm not used to. It usually happens on the other end," Jenna said, referring to how Val has dealt with his fair share of gossip and chatter about his female celebrity partners over the years.

"I've been partnered with gay guys or a girl, so I haven't really had people speculating or putting that on me. If anything, it's been roles reversed and so I've had to be the understanding and supportive one."

Jenna said she had to be the comforting and reassuring spouse in her marriage, telling Val that the rumors about him were "crazy."

Jenna therefore admitted of her DWTS season with Joey, "This was the first time that I feel like it was a lot for me to deal with. I was like, 'Are people psychotic?!' I am married. I have a child. It was just wild to me!"

Jenna -- who welcomed a son Rome with Val in January 2023 -- explained how the hardest part of Dancing with the Stars' 33rd season was "the initial shock" of seeing accusations and complaints that she and Joey looked too cozy and flirty with one another.

"The GMA [casting announcement] was the worst day," Jenna recalled of Good Morning America's September broadcast that focused heavily on the new Dancing with the Stars cast.

"Yeah," Joey agreed on the podcast.

"Because we were so excited," Jenna elaborated.

"We had been practicing already for a week-and-a-half or something," she said, "and I was so excited about this partnership and being with him and people's reactions to him being on the show. I was so proud that I was paired with him."

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Jenna said when she posted a photo with Joey on social media, showing off their promising partnership, she'll "never forget" how people attacked the fact her hand was on his chest.

"Heaven forbid! Everyone was like, 'Let's kill her!' It was crazy!" Jenna lamented.

Joey said the reaction to their partnership made him especially hesitant and fearful going into their Week 2 rumba, which is supposed to be a sexy and intimate dance.

"As dancers, we're like, 'This is our craft.' There is no intention other than, like, creating beautiful and gorgeous shapes. This is technique! This is what ballroom entails, to have these moments and be close to one another," Jenna explained.

"So I think GMA was a really hard day for me, because it hit me, like, 'Oh man, is this what the season is going to be like?' But after Week 1 and the initial shock was over and people saw our interactions with each other, everything died down."

Jenna said most of the pair's critics turned into their Dancing with the Stars supporters as the weeks progressed.

"Of course you have your few trolls and haters during the season, but yeah, that was really hard just because I've never been in that position before, so heavily," Jenna shared.

"But then it was just supportive and awesome... The love and passion of Bachelor Nation really supporting us was incredible!"

Kelsey also repeatedly defended her man during the Dancing with the Stars season, assuring fans that she wasn't jealous of Jenna or her dynamic with Joey.

Joey had attempted to avoid "any noise" by requesting a single Dancing with the Stars pro partner going into the show.

Joey said that he thought being paired with a married woman or someone in a committed relationship would protect his relationship with Kelsey.

Things clearly didn't go according to plan, but Joey agreed with Jenna that once viewers watched them rehearse and perform week to week, their dancing journey became more into focus than the status of their relationship.

Joey also said he and Jenna have a "brother and sister" type of dynamic.

"We had our own chemistry and quirks, and they saw that -- and it's what they should've been paying attention to the whole entire time," Joey said.

"But yeah, I didn't expect it, but we did what we could... We made it through and it worked out!"

It definitely worked out because Joey and Jenna won the Mirrorball Trophy and walked away from the Season 33 finale as champions.

Joey and Kelsey decided to stay in the Los Angeles area after Dancing with the Stars, and their romance is still going strong.

RELATED LINK: 'DANCING WITH THE STARS' PROS AND THEIR SIGNIFICANT OTHERS: WHO'S DATING OR MARRIED TO WHOM!? (PHOTOS)

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About The Author: Elizabeth Kwiatkowski

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