Catch up on the essentials
- News that she had been approached to join the ABC reality competition roughly 10 times over the years and repeatedly declined.
- De Laurentiis and Bersten are among the celebrity-professional pairs preparing for the Sept. 15 premiere of season 35 on ABC, with new episodes also airing Sept.
- Season 35 of Dancing With the Stars premieres Tuesday, Sept. 15 at 8:00 p.m.
Selected from this article · 2026-09-09
Read on for the full pictureA Toe Injury in the Rehearsal Studio
Giada De Laurentiis disclosed on Sept. 7 that she "busted" her middle toe while rehearsing for season 35 of Dancing With the Stars, posting an Instagram video showing a discolored, purple toe "that wraps all the way around." The Food Network star, who is partnered with professional dancer Alan Bersten, said in the video that she expected to lose the toenail and acknowledged, "It hurts," but pledged to return to rehearsals and "figure it out tomorrow. Part of the game." She captioned the post with a shrug-ready motto: "You know what they say… no pain, no gain."
How She Ended Up on the Ballroom Floor
De Laurentiis, 56, told E! News that she had been approached to join the ABC reality competition roughly 10 times over the years and repeatedly declined. This season, she agreed after her 18-year-old daughter Jade, whom she shares with ex-husband Todd Thompson, left for college. "With my daughter pushing me and with my daughter out of my house," De Laurentiis explained, "this is a really good time for me to go on a new adventure and push myself to do something I've never done." She joked that the rehearsals have already left her with "muscles I didn't even know I did."
The Road to the Mirrorball Trophy
De Laurentiis and Bersten are among the celebrity-professional pairs preparing for the Sept. 15 premiere of season 35 on ABC, with new episodes also airing Sept. 16. De Laurentiis is the granddaughter of famed Italian film producer Dino De Laurentiis, and her run on the show comes as the franchise prepares to roll out its latest cast, which also includes Julia Stiles, paired with pro Ezra Sosa, along with other contestants such as Ciara Miller, Maura Higgins, Taylor Hanson, and Tatyana Ali.
Tune-In Details for Season 35
Season 35 of Dancing With the Stars premieres Tuesday, Sept. 15 at 8:00 p.m. ET on ABC and Disney+, with a second new episode following on Wednesday, Sept. 16. Next-day streaming will be available on Hulu, and the show can also be watched live with an active subscription to fuboTV, Hulu + Live TV, YouTube TV, DIRECTV, or Sling TV, several of which offer free trials for new subscribers. Alfonso Ribeiro and Julianne Hough are set to return as hosts.
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