Jeannie Mai was in the hospital after discovering a potentially life-threatening condition.
The co-host of “The Real” was forced to leave the “Dancing With the Stars” competition this week after being diagnosed with epiglottitis, an inflammatory condition that can cause swelling and block airflow to the lungs.
.@DancingABC celebrity Jeannie Mai hospitalized and forced to leave show. #DWTS@LaraSpencer https://t.co/4GG0JC3wpT pic.twitter.com/C97xQFJzm0
— Good Morning America (@GMA) November 2, 2020
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.@DancingABC celebrity Jeannie Mai hospitalized and forced to leave show. #DWTS@LaraSpencer https://t.co/4GG0JC3wpT pic.twitter.com/C97xQFJzm0
— Good Morning America (@GMA) November 2, 2020
Mai told ET Canada in a statement: “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. 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. I can’t thank my partner Brandon enough for being so supportive and believing in me. I also want to thank MAI fans who voted every week and I wish everyone else in the competition the best of luck!”
Jeannie Mai will not be able to continue to compete on #DWTS this season due to a health concern that requires immediate attention. Jeannie has inspired us, along with millions of fans, with her energy and dedication. We wish her a full and speedy recovery. pic.twitter.com/HTgkhC5tXt
— Dancing with the Stars #DWTS (@DancingABC) November 2, 2020
On Instagram, her dance partner Brandon Armstrong said:
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Mai later updated her fans on how she is doing, writing, “I made it safely out of my emergency surgery.”
“What simply started as a sore throat had unbeknownst to me become a dangerous infection that already closed at least 60% of my airway and resulted in a throat abscess that spread in a matter of 3 days,” Mai said of her “potentially life-threatening condition.”
She continued to say she is “devastated” that her time on “DWTS” has come to an end and thanked Armstrong for being her partner.
How long the TV host and stylist will take to recover is still unknown, but four days after her surgery, Mai gave another update.
“No speaking. No chewing. No bad t-shirts,” Mai captioned a picture of her hospital room and her “Vote” shirt.