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After contestant Jeannie Mai and her partner Brandon Armstrong were saved from elimination by the judges at the end of last week’s Dancing With the Stars episode, fans may be surprised to find the Mai absent from November 2’s new episode.
Mai, best known as a host of The Real, was hospitalized ahead of the live show and had to drop out of the competition due to an unexpected but serious health issue. Mai and Armstrong will not be returning to the competition this season of DWTS.
The show shared the news on social media, revealing, “Jeannie Mai will not be able to continue to compete on #DWTS this season due to a health concern that requires immediate attention. Jeannie has inspired us, along with millions of fans, with her energy and dedication. We wish her a full and speedy recovery.”
Mai Was Diagnosed With Epiglottitis, Which Required Immediate Surgery
According to People, Mai was diagnosed with epiglottitis, which Mayo Clinic describes as, “a potentially life-threatening condition that occurs when the epiglottis — a small cartilage ‘lid’ that covers your windpipe — swells, blocking the flow of air into your lungs.” Epiglottitis can be caused by a number of factors, including burns from hot liquids, injury to the throat and infections.
As news of her sudden departure from the show spread, Mai told People, “It saddens me that I will not be able to continue with the competition on DWTS. My doctors discovered a health concern with my throat which requires immediate attention and surgery. I am heartbroken that my DWTS journey has to end here. 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!”
On Good Morning America, Mai’s professional dance partner Brandon Armstrong expressed similar disappointment, saying, “We are devastated by the news that we’re gonna have to cut this season short, but Jeannie’s health does come first. Thank you to all the fans that have helped to get us this far and we are praying for a speedy recovery for Jeannie.”
With Mai Disqualified, Only 1 Couple Will Be Eliminated on DWTS Week 8
Prior to Mai and Armstrong’s exit from the season, week 8 was supposed to end with a high-stakes double elimination. With them eliminated by default due to Mai’s diagnosis, there are only 8 couples left in the competition. This means that November 2’s episode will only feature one elimination, like every other episode this season.
In a statement to People, a rep for ABC explained, “Since Jeannie had to withdraw from the competition, tonight’s show will feature the eight remaining couples and a single elimination. We will still have the relay dances and Tyra will explain how the judging and points work in the show.”
New episodes of Dancing With the Stars season 29 air on Mondays at 8 p.m. Eastern time/7 p.m. Central time on ABC.
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