‘Dancing With the Stars’ Celebrity Quits Show Suddenly

Injuries are common foes on Dancing With the Stars, with many injuries ending a star’s run before they ever really slide their feet on the dance floor that season. And now another celebrity has quickly found out just how tough the contest can be, adding their name to the list. MasterChef Australia star Matt Preston has departed the series after his first day of training.

The premiere episode of the Aussie version of DWTS saw the 61-year-old TV personality decide to hang it up after placing on the bottom of the ranks with partner Jessica Raffa. “I’ve loved everything about this but my ankle is cooked,’ he began,” he said during the show, skipping a potential dance-off with AFL alum Gavin Wanganeen and his partner Megan Wragg. “I can’t dance again tonight. So what I want to do is to concede and give the win to Gavin and to Megan who did brilliantly today.”

Daryl Somers did the best they could to smooth the situation over. “OK this…we’ve never had this happen,” the longtime host said. “Look we might get a comment from our judges if um, given the situation…”

Preston had damaged a tendon in his ankle only moments into the first rehearsal for the night. He also had made the emotional admission on the loss of his mother The prospect of having to do another impromptu dance seemed a bit daunting, especially after the abysmal showing. “My immediate reaction was, ‘Oh, I can’t do it now,’” Preston told TV Week after it happened.

The food critic announced his decision to join the dancing reality competition earlier in the year, making his stay on the ballroom floor very short. At the time he called it “something totally new and way out of my comfort zone” on Instagram.

After his surprising exit, Preston made his way to Indonesia to soak up the sun on the beach and eat a bit. “From Moscow Mules made with fresh ginger juice and schnitzel with the fattest capers to giant beers and Balinese Nasi Campur, then diving with mantas rays and Pies on the telly in a sky-high dive bar with great homemade spring rolls and a view of Mushroom Bay,” Preston wrote on Instagram.

It does seem he made the right decision. If I had a terrible performance followed by a forced dance-off to survive for another week, I’d choose an injury and beach holiday, too.