The TV host was diagnosed with epiglottis, which will require 'immediate attention and surgery.'
Jeannie Mai's Dancing With the Stars journey has abruptly come to an end. The ABC dance competition announced the news Monday morning that Mai and her DWTS pro partner, Brandon Armstrong, would no longer be competing on the show after the 41-year-old TV host was hospitalized.
"Jeannie Mai will not be able to continue to compete on #DWTS this season due to a health concern that requires immediate attention," the official DWTS Twitter account shared in a statement. "Jeannie has inspired us, along with millions of fans, with her energy and dedication. We wish her a full and speedy recovery."
As for how the competition will proceed, the statement continued, "Since Jeannie had to withdraw from the competition, tonight’s show will feature the eight remaining couples and a single elimination."
Mai shared the news of her health condition in a statement to ET, saying, "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 [Armstrong] 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!"
ABC News reports that Mai has been diagnosed with epiglottis, a potentially life threatening inflammatory condition that can cause swelling and block airflow to the lungs, according to the Mayo Clinic.
BBC and DWTS shared a joint statement with ET, saying, "Jeannie has inspired us, along with millions of fans, with her energy and dedication. We wish her a full and speedy recovery. Since Jeannie had to withdraw from the competition, tonight’s show will feature the eight remaining couples and a single elimination."
Mai's dance partner, Armstrong, told Good Morning America, "We are devastated by the news that we're going to have to cut this season short, but Jeannie's health does come first. Thank you to all the fans that have helped get us this far and we are praying for a speedy recovery for Jeannie."
ET's Rachel Stern spoke with the duo following their performance last week where Mai shared what she wanted to take away from her DWTS experience.
"I think that when you dance, there's a part of what you do on the stage that allows you to take it into your personal life," Mai told ET. "Whether it's the confidence, or getting out of your anxiety quickly, or focusing and learning how to get your mental power to command your body to do whatever you want... whatever it may be, I'm going to definitely make sure that what I learn from Dancing With the Stars will translate into my regular life because it's such a fun experience."
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