Heavy A film crew in France, where James Denton was injured while rehearsing for "Danse Avec Les Stars"
Longtime Hallmark star James Denton agreed to take part in the French version of “Dancing With The Stars” despite never having danced nor knowing any French. Unfortunately, days before the February 2024 season premiere, the “Desperate Housewives” and “Good Witch” alum suffered a devastating injury, tearing his hamstring during rehearsals.
“Grade 3 hamstring tear in rehearsal — a frustrating setback,” he wrote on Instagram alongside photos of physical therapist Cyril Msika working on the back of his thigh, where the hamstring muscles are, as well as the medical imagery showing the tear.
That type of injury typically takes at least a month to recover from, experts say, but Denton insists he’ll heal much quicker and is still intent on competing on the show. If it’s any consolation, his famous past co-stars — Teri Hatcher and Catherine Bell — are cheering him on to succeed.
Here’s what you need to know:
James Denton Agreed to Dancing Competition Despite Having ‘Never Danced in My Life’
When producers of “Danse Avec Les Stars” asked Hallmark star James Denton if he’d be willing to compete on the show there, he immediately rejected the idea. But after giving it some thought and receiving encouragement from his daughter and son, ages 18 and 20, Denton, 61, decided to take a risk and go for it — despite not knowing any French or how to dance.
“I’m not a dancer, I’ve never danced in my life at all,” he said during a promotional interview for the show. “It was a little bit scary, which is the main reason I decided to do it. If it’s that scary, I should probably do it.”
Fresh off appearing in Hallmark’s “Christmas on Cherry Lane,” Denton headed to Paris to prepare with his dancing partner, Candice Pascal, who’s been a staple on the show in France since 2011, according to IMDb.
Best known in France for playing Mike Delfino on “Desperate Housewives,” Denton’s participation on “Danse Avec Les Stars” has been big news in the French media. But three days before the season premiere, he suffered the severe hamstring tear.
According to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, “a grade 3 strain is a complete tear of the muscle that may take months to heal.” Returning to activity before a tear has completely healed can “cause the injury to happen again,” per Mayo Clinic.
“Normally, it’s a month of downtime,” Pascal told the audience during the season premiere, according to News in France. “We will try, with care, to make him recover over two weeks.”
The show has shared videos of Denton in pain during physical therapy and gingerly trying to walk, but he insists he’ll heal quickly enough to start competing soon, even posting a new promo on Instagram that hinted he could potentially dance on the February 23 episode.
“Working my way back,” Denton wrote. “A huge thank you to the cast for their patience.”
Catherine Bell & Teri Hatcher Are Among Those Cheering On James Denton
Before his injury happened, Denton told the French media outlet Telestar that after initially saying no to appearing on “Danse Avec Les Stars,” he warmed to the idea of “living in Paris for a few months.”
If he is still on the show by the time his college-aged kids — daughter Malin and son Sheppard — are on their spring breaks, Denton said they’ll visit him in Paris. He didn’t say whether his wife of nearly 22 years, fitness expert Erin O’Brien, had accompanied him to France.
When asked in a promotional video why he chose to appear on the French version of the show rather than the one on ABC in the U.S., Delton said, “I thought it would be interesting to do it here. I thought, ‘Hopefully the French viewers will have fun seeing Mike Delfino — you know, can the plumber dance?’ And it’d be more fun having an American and a little more unique.”
Some of Denton’s former onscreen partners have been rooting for him to succeed on the show. He told Le Journal Des Femmes that “Desperate Housewives” co-star Teri Hatcher, with whom he reunited in Hallmark’s “Mid-Love Crisis” in 2022, is envious of his opportunity to film the show in France.
“She would have liked to come, but she can’t travel at the moment,” he said. “But she told me that she was very jealous that I had the chance to stay in Paris for a while.”
Meanwhile, Catherine Bell, who played Denton’s wife on Hallmark’s “Good Witch” series and his fiancée in “Christmas on Cherry Lane,” has been keeping track of his journey on Instagram, leaving encouraging comments or emoji on many of his updates.
When he first revealed his injury on Instagram, she wrote, “Oh no!!! get well soon Jamie!!❤🙏🏼”