'Dancing With the Stars' Cast News, Update: Peta Murgatroyd Backs Off from Season 21 Competition Due to Foot Injury
While the Season 21 cast of ABC's hit reality dance competition TV series "Dancing with The Stars" is shaping up to be one of the show's best, a familiar face from the lineup of pro-dancers won't be making it to the dance floor.
New Zealand-born professional dancer and fan favorite Peta Murgatroyd had been preparing for her return to the DWTS this season after a three-month live tour of the show. However, devastating news from her orthopaedic surgeon forced the 29-year-old to pass on the competition.
She was supposed to partner up with Season 21 celebrity dancer, Andy Grammer. But right on the day the two started preparing, Murgatroyd noticed "something was not right" with her feet.
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"I wanted to check it out properly and make sure I was good to go for the season," Murgatroyd told People.com in an interview. "I got my MRI results back and it was a really bad diagnosis. It showed I had 4 torn ligaments and a floating piece of bone at the back of my ankle. My doctor said I needed surgery and I knew I needed to put my health first if I want to keep dancing on the show into my 30s."
The dancer, who has been on the show since 2011, admits to the publication it was "heartbreaking" for her to tell Grammer who "had specifically asked to be partnered" with her that she has to step back.
Murgatroyd, however, was thankful that "he [Grammer] understood and has been a great guy about it."
To make up for the disappointment, Peta plans on sitting in during Grammer's rehearsals with his new partner, Allison Holker.
For those who missed it, the full roster of the Season 21 competitors was finally unveiled on Wednesday's edition of "Good Morning America."
The names revealed were Paula Deen, Kim Zolciak, Tamar Braxton, Alek Skarlatos, Gary Busey, Bindi Irwin, Chaka Khan, Grammer, Nick Carter, Hayes Grier, Victor Espinoza and the couple, Alexa and Carlos PenaVega.
"Dancing With the Stars" Season 21 kicks off this September 14 at 8 p.m.
