The Bachelor alum Joey Graziadei has revealed how he made fiancee Kelsey Anderson his priority going into his Dancing with the Stars' 33rd season.
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Joey, 29, and his Dancing with the Stars pro partner Jenna Johnson, 30, have obvious chemistry on the ABC reality dancing competition, and they've also posted fun and sexy social media videos that have had fans talking about how they look "cozy" together and maybe too "touchy" for comfort.
RELATED LINK: 'DANCING WITH THE STARS' PROS AND THEIR SIGNIFICANT OTHERS: WHO'S DATING OR MARRIED TO WHOM!? (PHOTOS)
Joey noted on "The Ben & Ashley I: Almost Famous Podcast" that it's "understandable people are paying attention" to his relationship with Kelsey since they fell in love on The Bachelor's 28th season.
However, Joey admitted he had been hoping fans wouldn't analyze and gossip about the status of his relationship with his Dancing with the Stars partner.
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"It was something I thought about coming in," Joey told Ben Higgins' during the Thursday, September 26 episode of his podcast.
"I said I wanted to be in a situation where I was comfortable and I didn't have to worry about a lot of this noise. So, I asked when I got on the show to be paired with someone that was in a successful and healthy relationship."
Joey recalled telling Dancing with the Stars producers, "I said I didn't want there to be any chance of noise on this because I know that comes with the show and the territory sometimes."
Joey said it was important not to rock the boat with Kelsey because they were in "such a great place" in the life they're building together once Dancing with the Stars started.
"I didn't want to have a distraction," Joey said.
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Joey also explained how he wanted to make sure Kelsey would be "comfortable" with putting their relationship back into the spotlight and "that world" again.
"I think we were more surprised than not that people couldn't step away and understand the situation of the relationship I am in and the relationship Jenna is in [with husband Val Chmerkovskiy]," Joey admitted.
"We were kind of hoping that people would be a little bit more aware of that. We want to be able to connect and have what we have on the dance floor, and have this friendship and trust with each other, without this assumption [of flirtation] that we would never be doing."
While Joey proactively tried to prevent Dancing with the Stars gossip, Jenna pointed out how she still "knew this would happen" because Joey was fresh off The Bachelor franchise.
Jenna said speculation a Dancing with the Stars couple is hooking up just "comes with the territory" and there's "always going to be chatter" about that.
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But Jenna was still admittedly "disappointment" when fans flooded social media with comments about how she and Joey looked too cozy with each other.
"I think it's very obvious that my relationship is known on the show. I mean, I have a child [and] my husband's on the show as well," Jenna explained on the "Almost Famous" podcast.
"I thought, you know, people would obviously know that Joey's engaged. I think there's disappointment in being so excited about being announced on Good Morning America, finally, and then there's all these [negative] comments. Why does it have to be that initially?"
But Jenna acknowledged how the hype about her relationship with Joey has died down a bit and "gotten so much better."
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"Once you get past the initial shock of it, of seeing these people together, then they forget about it and they're just invested in our partnership and what we're going to do and how far we're going to go," Jenna shared.
Jenna said it's also helped that Kelsey has been "incredible" and so understanding of the situation.
"She's been so supportive during this whole experience," Jenna shared. "Obviously, my husband loves Joey and is so supportive. So I think we couldn't have asked for better partners in this situation."
Kelsey, 26, recently shared in a TikTok video how she's "tired" of seeing comments online about Joey and Jenna being too handsy with each other.
"So many people are like, 'Kelsey, why is Jenna touching your man like that?' And honestly, I don't know, maybe because it's her job," Kelsey quipped in a September 19 video.
"Maybe because she's a professional dancer and she has to touch him to dance. I don't know, that's my understanding of it. I'm just so tired of people being like, 'Kelsey is so strong. I could not do that. I could not watch if I were Kelsey.'"
Kelsey -- who got engaged to Joey on The Bachelor's 28th season, which filmed in late 2023 and aired earlier this year on ABC -- said she has a "level of security" with Joey that allows her to fully trust him.
"Joey and I [are] still together and strong after a year of all that craziness," Kelsey confirmed, adding how Joey gives her "reassurance" she needs and they are "all good in the hood."
"If I can survive [The Bachelor process], I can survive watching him dance with a married woman with a cute little baby boy -- crushing it," Kelsey noted, referring to Jenna and Val's son Rome. "I am very proud of Joey."
Joey revealed to Ben that he and Kelsey are actually in "the best spot" they've ever been now that Kelsey is "being more vocal" about how their relationship is thriving in the real world.
Jenna also explained how she and Joey cater to their partners and are very "intentional" and "aware" of Kelsey and Val's "feelings and thoughts."
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"But my job is to teach my partner how to dance... and at the end of the day, I need to do my job," Jenna said.
And Jenna pointed out how achieving "good partner chemistry" is one of the most important components of a celebrity being successful on Dancing with the Stars.
Joey agreed two dancers having "a chemistry and a connection" is "really important" to be "able to make the art" of ballroom dance.
Joey said he's glad that he's comfortable with Jenna and they wouldn't change a thing about their dynamic.
"Obviously we have a ton of fun together. We have a great time, but publicly, we are very aware and intentional," Jenna reiterated.
Joey added that he and Jenna are doing "everything" they can to convince people to "settle down."
"Hopefully we can [get back to] just enjoying and having fun and focusing on our dances each week now," he concluded.
RELATED LINK: 'DANCING WITH THE STARS' PROS AND THEIR SIGNIFICANT OTHERS: WHO'S DATING OR MARRIED TO WHOM!? (PHOTOS)
Joey and Jenna survived a big double elimination on the latest Dancing with the Stars episode, and Joey has proven he can dance with his solid DWTS judges' scores. Many fans are thinking Joey may become the first former The Bachelor star to make it to the finale.
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