LOS ANGELES » The Pussycat Doll is now the “Dancing with the Stars” champ.

Hawaii-born Nicole Scherzinger and partner Derek Hough dominated throughout the 10th season of the hit ABC show and bested Olympic gold medalist Evan Lysacek to win the “Dancing” crown last night.

Scherzinger performed a high-energy jive as her final dance, which earned a perfect score of 30 and inspired head judge Len Goodman to say, “There can only be one winner of ‘Dancing with the Stars.’ It should be you.”

Lysacek’s quickstep also earned the judges’ praise, but just 28 points.

“It’s been such a blast,” the champion figure skater said. “We are totally satisfied with everything we gave. We’re so proud of Nicole and Derek. They deserve it. ... They inspired all the other couples in the competition.”

Scherzinger and Hough kissed the mirror-ball trophy as they were hoisted onto the shoulders of other dancers.

ESPN sportscaster Erin Andrews, the third finalist, and her professional partner, Maksim Chmerkovskiy were eliminated from the dance-off halfway through the two-hour season closer, leaving Lysacek and partner Anna Trebunskaya, and Scherzinger to face each other.

  Nicole Scherzinger Wins DWTS

 

The Hawaiian native beats out Olympian Evan Lysacek and sports reporter Erin Andrews to take the crown.

 

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Earlier in the evening, all three pairs danced an Argentine tango and earned glowing remarks from the judges.

Honolulu-born judge Carrie Ann Inaba, a 1986 Punahou graduate, called Lysacek’s performance “perfect” and Scherzinger’s “like a beautiful masterpiece come to life.”

Though being on the show “has meant everything” to Andrews, she said she knew the fight for the title would be between Lysacek and Scherzinger.

“I came here under really crummy circumstances,” Andrews said. “I just wanted to be myself again.” Andrews was the victim of a stalker, who was sentenced to 2 1/2 years in prison for following the reporter to at least three cities and shooting videos of her through hotel peepholes.

Gesturing toward Chmerkovskiy, she said, “This one has just put my life back together, so I’m so thankful.”

Chmerkovskiy called the season “a roller coaster” and “an amazing journey.”

“I feel like we’ve won,” he said, “and I certainly have my own prize.”

Yesterday’s action-packed final episode featured back-to-back performances by the season’s finalists and past contestants.