‘Dancing With the Stars’ Celebrity Reveals Painful Injury Ahead of Season 35 Premiere

Giada De Laurentiis is already getting a taste of the physical demands that come with competing on Dancing With the Stars.

The celebrity chef revealed Sunday, Sept. 6, that she injured her toe during rehearsals for Season 35 of the ABC dance competition.

Bettors on Polymarket are already placing wagers on who might win the upcoming season.

De Laurentiis, 56, is set to compete with professional dancer Alan Bersten when the new season premieres later this month.

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De Laurentiis shared a video of her bruised toe on Instagram, showing fans the injury after a day of practice.

“So, I had a great day at rehearsals today. But sadly, I busted my toe. Take a look. There’s my toe,” she said in the video. “So, you can see, it’s quite purple, and it wraps all the way around. I’m for sure gonna lose my toenail, I think.”

Despite the pain, De Laurentiis said she planned to see how she felt the following day and remained committed to the competition.

“Anyway, I don’t know. It hurts, but we’ll figure it out tomorrow. Part of the game!” she added.

She summed up her attitude in the post’s caption, writing, “You know what they say… no pain, no gain.”

Fans quickly filled the comments with messages wishing the Food Network alum a speedy recovery as she prepares for her ballroom debut.

De Laurentiis also recently opened up about her partnership with Bersten and the reaction from her daughter, Jade.

During an interview with TV Insider following the Season 35 cast announcement, she said Bersten and Jade have already developed a close relationship.

“He and Jade were like [tight], ‘cause she can dance, actually. She does musical theater, and she’s learned to dance quite a bit,” De Laurentiis said. “So, I think she’s kind of surprised that I’m not able to do that much of it. But yeah, Alan and Jade are thick as thieves.”

Jade, De Laurentiis’ only child with ex-husband Todd Thompson, recently started her freshman year at New York University. Her mother said she hopes Jade can eventually make it to the ballroom to watch her compete.

“She’s at school here in New York, so I’m hoping at some point, if I make it that long, that she’ll come out and see [it],” she said.

While De Laurentiis works through her injury, fans are already speculating about who could win the season. Polymarket bettors currently give Summer House star Ciara Miller a 50% chance of taking home the Mirrorball Trophy.

The odds could shift once the competition begins and viewers see how the celebrities perform. For De Laurentiis, the immediate challenge is getting back on the dance floor with a bruised toe.

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