"Dancing with the Stars" crowns a season 17 winner

It was down to the wire Tuesday night on “Dancing with the Stars,” with the final three pairs competing for the mirrorball trophy.

But before we found out which star America had chosen, the season's eliminated cast members returned. Valerie Harper returned for a dance, and Snooki told co-host Brooke Burke-Charvet, “I missed your boobs.” Fan favorite Bill Nye took to the dance floor for a cha cha. The evening also saw a performance by Lady Antebellum.

Bleu and partner Karina Smirnoff got the competition under way with a foxtrot-cha cha combo. "You messed it up at one little part," judge Len Goodman said. Bleu said he got lost in the moment. The celebrity couple walked away with a score of 27.

Osbourne and partner Cheryl Burke did a paso doble-salsa routine that Goodman called "terrific.” Osbourne was praised for his improvement throughout the season. They also scored 27 points.

Then it was time for frontrunners Amber Riley and Derek Hough to take the stage for a samba-quickstep fusion number. "Amber and Derek, well done," judge Carrie Ann Inaba said, while Goodman called Riley "bedazzling." At one point, he told the “Glee” star, “You, my little sausage, are a fantastic dancer." They earned 30, a perfect score.

Despite all the good words and positive vibes, not everyone can stay in the competition. Osbourne and Burke soon found out they were out of the game. "I've learned that if you just dive in and you have a great teacher, it is possible to become a ballroom dancer,” said Osbourne. In second place was Bleu, who said, "I thank God for this experience. I thank my family and my best partner in the world…I had a blast."

That meant Riley and Hough were crowned winners of season 17. "I want to let women of all sizes out there know -- you can do whatever you put your mind to,” said Riley. “It doesn't matter what size you are, what color you are. You can do whatever, whatever, whatever you put your mind to!"

Tell us: Are you glad Riley won?