Warning: This article contains spoilers about Dancing With The Stars!
Ahead of the upcoming season of Dancing With The Stars, Yahoo Lifestyle can reveal that this year’s star-studded cast had quite a few secrets when they agreed to sign on. From a hidden injury to an undercover romance, here’s everything that happened behind the scenes of the Channel Seven reality show.
An insider tells us that MasterChef’s inaugural winner Julie Goodwin joined the dancing competition with a “secret injury” which she tried to hide during rehearsals, but forced her to pull out of the first week.
“It was all very similar to Matt Preston from last year,” the source details, referencing the former MasterChef judge who left the show due to an ankle injury.
“A lot of these celebrities don't realise how hard this competition really is. An injury is usually really hard to recover from as the competition continues.”
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The insider explains that hosts Dr Chris Brown and Sonia Kruger will address her absence in the premiere episode, but she does end up taking part in the show.
“Julie was persistent to stay in the 2024 cast and promised the producers she would be well enough to dance the following week,” they continue. “However, when you look closely during her dances you will see her wearing bandages that you would normally see on sports athletes.”
Undercover romance
James Stewart reportedly spent “quite a bit of time” during filming with his Home and Awayco-star Ada Nicodemou, who he was recently spotted kissing.
A production insider tells Yahoo Lifestyle that James brushed off their hangouts as simply “getting advice from a close friend”, as Ada won the competition in 2005 and made it to the finals in 2021.
"It was easy to believe he would reach out to one of his co-stars who had previously taken part in the show,” the source details. “Home and Away stars do well in the competition and James had been quite vocal about the pressure he felt representing the soap.”
It’s reported that the pair’s romance began around the time he started training for the show and many of the cast and crew had heard the rumours that there was more to their friendship.
“We are all happy for him but fans won't be seeing her sitting on the sidelines supporting him as the relationship was still being hidden while filming took place three months ago,” the source adds.
Competitive streak
One of the show’s producers tells Yahoo Lifestyle that the most competitive contestant this season is actress and four-time Gold Logie winner Lisa McCune.
“Many people wouldn't know this, but Lisa is super competitive and she wants to win this really bad,” our source shares. “She wants that Mirrorball trophy and friends are saying what Lisa wants she normally gets.
“Channel Seven executives were surprised by how competitive she was. Australia is set to see a very different side to the Blue Heelers star.”
The producer adds that Lisa is a big fan of the reality show and has been asked “multiple times” over the years to put on her dancing shoes.
“The main complication was that it needed to fit in with her theatre and other TV work, which has kept her insanely busy. However, this year she saw that she could fit it in and has been super excited to take on the challenge.”
Secret plan
Arguably the most surprising contestant hitting the dance floor this season is former UK Special Forces soldier Ant Middleton, who publicly turned down the British version of the reality show Strictly Come Dancing in 2018.
“I’m not that kind of high-end, glossy character,” he said at the time. “I’m in my area, a bit rugged round the edges and willing to strip myself down to my bare bones to succeed and fail. All that glitz, glamour, the sequins, I’ll leave for celebrities to do.”
An insider tells Yahoo Lifestyle that Ant decided to join the cast after his shows SAS Australia and Million Dollar Island took a dive in the ratings last year.
“Ant thought keeping Channel Seven happy with his commitment to the network would help get SAS back on the slate for 2025, which has actually worked and SAS has been commissioned for another series,” the source says.
“The idea to take part in DWTS was put to the British Adventurer around the same time Channel Seven decided to put SAS on pause, which might have had something to do with his decision to say yes.”
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