It’s official. Pro dancer, Peta Murgatroyd has withdrawn from Dancing with the Stars 21 due to injury. Peta tells People that her orthopedic surgeon gave her the bad news: She needs surgery that will keep her on the sidelines for 6-8 weeks.
Peta had just come off the three month official DWTS tour. She “felt great” heading into rehearsals with her partner, Andy Grammer. But one day, after putting on her heels, she said she could tell “something was not right.”
“I wanted to check it out properly and make sure I was good to go for the season,” she said. “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.” Peta is 29 years old.
“It was devastating news for me…It was awful telling Andy,” Peta said. “He had specifically asked to be partnered with me and I felt like I was letting him down. But he understood and has been a great guy about it.”
To make up for it, Peta plans to be in the rehearsal room as much as possible to help Andy’s new partner, who is rumored to be Lindsay Arnold. The official cast announcement is set for Wednesday September 2 on Good Morning America.
Check out details on the Andy Grammer reveal, and all the DWTS rumors and confirmations so far HERE. Andy posted a moving message on his Facebook. He was inspired to join the cast of DWTS by his late mother, who loved dance. Andy performed “Honey I’m Good” on the show last spring, and he says that during rehearsal, he almost lost it, “She would have completely lost her mind to sit front row at Dancing With The Stars and I could feel that in my chest loud and clear.”
“So this one is for you mom,” wrote Andy, “I don’t know how to dance, but I’m pretty sure that wherever you are it’s going to make you very happy to see me try. I miss you, I love you, and I will be stretching my hammies to make you proud.”
Dancing with the Stars premieres on Monday, September 14.
