“The Real” co-host Jeannie Mai is ending her stint on the current season of ”Dancing With the Stars” due to a “health concern that requires immediate attention,” the reality dancing competition show confirmed Monday.
Mai, 41, said in a statement to USA TODAY that she required “immediate attention and surgery” involving her throat.
“I am heartbroken that my DWTS journey has to end here,” she added. “The last several weeks have been an amazing learning experience. I have pushed myself to new limits physically and mentally, and I am so proud of how far we’ve come. I can’t thank my partner Brandon enough for being so supportive and believing in me. I also want to thank MAI fans who voted every week and I wish everyone else in the competition the best of luck!”
Monday’s live show will feature the eight remaining couples and a single elimination.
“Jeannie has inspired us, along with millions of fans, with her energy and dedication. We wish her a full and speedy recovery,” read a “DWTS” statement provided to USA TODAY.
Mai’s pro dancing partner Brandon Armstrong took to Instagram on Monday to commemorate the TV personality for her progress on the show, adding that he is “praying for a speedy recovery.”
“JEANNIE! I’m so sorry this happened to you! You don’t deserve it!” he wrote. “Your journey on this show was so special so unique and so inspiring! I loved EVERY SINGLE WEEK that we got to go through this together! I hope I helped give you an experience that you’ll remember forever! We share a lot of good times, tough times and all the times in between but mainly, a lot of laughs! Mainly you laughing at me but hey I’ll take it!”
In addition to serving as co-host of daytime talk show “The Real” since 2013, Mai has gigs as sideline correspondent for mini golf game show “Holey Moley” and fashion correspondent for “Entertainment Tonight.”
During last week’s Villains Night, Mai and Armstrong nabbed a 25/30 score for her dynamic pasodoble to Maneater” by Nelly Furtado, but still ended up on the chopping block. The duo survived and it was “Cheer” coach Monica Aldama who would leave the show that night.
Through her seven weeks on the show, Mai proved she was game to try anything from the get-go – her very first performance, a salsa to Taylor Dane’s “Tell It To My Heart,” included a move where she flipped her hips directly onto Armstrong’s shoulders while he spun her around.
“That was amazing, you lit this room up,” judge Carrie Ann Inaba told her on night one. Last month, Inaba dubbed Mai the show’s ”most exciting performer.”
Read more at usatoday.com
