Christie Brinkley, Kim Zolciak and More Celebs Forced to Quit ‘Dancing With the Stars’

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Christie Brinkley, Kim Zolciak and More Celebs Forced to Quit 'Dancing With the Stars’

Bad luck in the ballroom. Christie Brinkley and Kim Zolciak are among the celebrities who have been forced to quit Dancing With the Stars ― though not all for the same reasons. Ahead of the season 28 premiere in September 2019, ABC confirmed to Us Weekly that Brinkley would not be competing on the show after suffering an injury that led her to have surgery on her wrist and arm. “She is unable to continue her planned participation on the show,” a statement to Us read. “Keeping it all in the family, her daughter Sailor Brinkley-Cook, a Sports Illustrated model, has chosen to quickly step in with hours to learn the entire routine and will compete in her mother’s place for the remainder of the season.” While the National Lampoon’s Vacation actress was devastated about the situation, she later came to terms with her decision and gushed over her daughter following the first night of competition. “I’m so proud,” Brinkley told Us. “She rose above her own fears to do something for me, you know, because she knew that that would cushion the blow of this crushing, truly crushing disappointment. … Sailor picks up where my message left off because she’s certainly not my age, but she was letting things hold her back and now she’s not.” [jwplayer ALXGr8tl-l3ahXupL] The Real Housewives of Atlanta star, for her part, was eliminated from the competition in 2015 after failing to dance on a live show following a health scare. Zolciak suffered a mini stroke at the time, leaving her unable to travel from her home in Atlanta to the Hollywood studios. “I was cleared to dance on Friday when I was discharged from the hospital, so Saturday morning I was up rehearsing not even 12 hrs after. I had no restrictions BUT flying until today,” the reality star wrote alongside a petition to bring her and her partner Tony Dovolani back to the show. “Yes the timing sucked but ultimately my health is first. I wanted to dance here in ATL via satellite last night I can dance I just couldn't fly. I'm forever grateful for my dance partner @tonydovolani who has always supported me and All Of you my amazing fans!!!!!!!!” Scroll down to see all of the celebrities who were forced to quit Dancing With the Stars:

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Jeannie Mai

During season 29, the Real cohost was forced to exit the season midway through after being diagnosed with epiglottis, a serious condition that causes inflammation and blocks airflow to the lungs. “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," she said in a statement to Us in November 2020. "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."

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Ray Lewis

During season 28, the former NFL star had to exit the reality show after tearing three tendons in his foot and being told he needed surgery. "Not the ending I had hoped or worked for but that mirror ball wasn’t in the plans for me," he wrote on Instagram after Movie Night. "I can’t say thank you enough for the support and love. Injuries have never stopped me before and certainly not now. I’ll be back doing the squirrel dance soon enough."

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Christie Brinkley

“It’s been just a real, true emotional roller-coaster,” the former Sports Illustrated Swimsuit model, told Us of her injury. “I’m so relieved … because I put a lot on [Sailor’s] shoulders. I mean, I’m aware of that, but I knew that she would get so much more out of it if she just went through with it. And sure enough, she now has a love of dancing.”

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Dorothy Hamill

The retired Olympic ice skater withdrew from the competition in season 16 after she suffered a severe back injury. Hamill had only danced two dances with her pro Tristan MacManus at the time.

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Kim Zolciak

"I went to the hospital and I stayed by her side for around nine hours, her husband showed up right away,” Dovolani told Us of their unfortunate situation. “And I was at the hospital with her for three days, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, and then she got discharged on Friday and we danced on Saturday. We did the whole dance and I have video to prove it!”

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Misty May-Treanor

The professional volleyball player left the show in 2008 after suffering an Achilles tendon injury while dancing with partner Maks Chmerkovskiy.

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Billy Dee Williams

During a March 2014 episode of the hit ABC show, the Star Wars actor announced he would no longer be competing due to a “chronic back problem.” Williams added: “I've had a wonderful, brilliant, fantastic blast of a time…Pure joy. And I want to thank every one of you folks for your support."

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Tom DeLay

The former Republican congressman dropped out of the competition in 2009 after getting hurt. "If you can't practice, you'll make a fool out of yourself out there, and I don't want to do that to Cheryl," Delay said of his partner Cheryl Burke.

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Jewel

The same year as Delay’s bad luck, the songstress also left the show after suffering a fractured tibia.

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Sara Evans

The country singer unexpectedly left season 8 of the reality show for personal reasons. Though Evans didn’t give an explanation, days after her exit she filed for divorce from ex-husband Craig Schelske.

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Tamar Braxton

Braxton Family Values star withdrew from the competition in November 2015 after falling ill. “After yesterday's final #dwts performance I went back to the hospital (after the doctors didn't want me to leave in the first place) only to find out that I don't have pneumonia but something way more serious and that is having several P.E.'s (blood clots in both sides of my lungs),” Braxton wrote in an Instagram post at the time. “As you all know I will be the first to always encourage anyone to push through any obstacle that comes along one's way. But in this case, my health is my current obstacle. .. And in TRUE #tamartian form I must go about this the exact same way as I would anything else.”

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Nancy O’Dell

The TV host pulled herself out of the competition ahead of the season 8 premiere after suffering a torn meniscus. The injury required surgery, therefore O’Dell was unable to participate.