Stepping in! Christie Brinkley was forced to drop out of Dancing With the Stars season 28 at the last minute — but her daughter Sailor Brinkley-Cook is taking her place.
Sailor Brinkley-Cook and Christie Brinkley attend the 32nd Annual Footwear News Achievement Awards on December 4, 2018 in New York City.
“While rehearsing for the premiere of Dancing With the Stars, Christie Brinkley suffered injuries which required surgery to her wrist and arm. She is unable to continue her planned participation on the show,” ABC said in a statement to Us Weekly on Monday, September 16. “Keeping it all in the family, her daughter Sailor Brinkley-Cook, a Sports Illustrated model, has chosen to quickly step in with hours to learn the entire routine and will compete in her mother’s place for the remainder of the season.”
The statement continued, “We wish Christie a full and speedy recovery and look forward to seeing her in the audience, whenever possible, proudly supporting Sailor.”
Brinkley, 65, shares Sailor, 21, with her ex-husband, Peter Cook, to whom she was married from 1996 to 2008. She is also the mother of son Jack Brinkley-Cook, 24, with Richard Taubman, and daughter Alexa Ray Joel, 33, with Billy Joel.
“Showbiz is all about getting a break, and Sailor and I both got one on Dancing With the Stars this season,” the legendary model said in a statement to Good Morning America on Monday, joking about her injuries. “Sailor joined the cast when I got mine. … Ouch, somebody stop me, it hurts to laugh!”
Sailor, meanwhile, told GMA, “I’m doing this mostly for my mom! I just want to make her happy and make her proud. She loved doing this, she loves dancing and she loves performing and getting hurt was her worst nightmare. … I felt this high of just attacking something I was so afraid of and it felt like something I need to do. I think it will change me.”
Dancing With the Stars premieres on ABC Monday, September 16, at 8 p.m. ET.
Related slideshow: ‘Dancing With the Stars’ Season 28 Cast:
First, here are the pro dancers who will be returning to guide the celebrities this season: Alan Bersten, Brandon Armstrong, Cheryl Burke, Emma Slater, Gleb Savchenko, Jenna Johnson, Keo Motsepe, Lindsay Arnold, Peta Murgatroyd, Sasha Farber, Val Chmerkovskiy and Witney Carson.
Additionally, pro dancers Pasha Pashkov and Daniella Karagach will join the pros. While new to the reality series, the husband and wife have been dancing together since 2009 and are seven-time United States 10 Dance Champions and Latin Champions. In 2018, the duo appeared on World of Dance.
As for the celebs this season, ABC wanted to bring even more star power after a season off — and they wanted to add a “tweak” in the format. “It’s about [shifting] the focus of the show to really focus on it being a celebration of dance, and also focusing on the celebrities,” ABC entertainment president Karey Burke told TVLine earlier this month.
At the time, Burke stayed mum about the cast list, but did hint that it was “really good.” Now, Us Weekly can confirm — it is really good.
Scroll through the gallery to meet the cast. The list will be updated with the pro partners as they’re revealed.
Ally Brooke
Ally Brooke, 26, is a singer best known as part of Fifth Harmony, the girl group formed in 2012 on The X Factor. The group went on hiatus in 2018 to pursue solo projects.
Hannah Brown
Former beauty pageant queen Hannah Brown, 24, was the season 15 Bachelorette.
James Van Der Beek
Best known for his role as Dawson Leery in Dawson’s Creek, James Van Der Beek, 42, is now a father of five and has starred in Don’t Trust the B— in Apartment 23, What Would Diplo Do? and Pose.
Karamo Brown
While Karamo Brown, 38, got his start on The Real World: Philadelphia in 2004, he is now the culture expert on Netflix’s Queer Eye.
Kate Flannery
Kate Flannery, 55, is best known for her role as Meredith on The Office.
Kel Mitchell
Now 40, Kel Mitchell is most recognized from his roles as a teen on Kenan & Kel and All That. He is now an executive producer on the new All That.
Lamar Odom
Lauren Alaina
Country singer Lauren Alaina, 24, came in second place on season 10 of American Idol.
Mary Wilson
Mary Wilson, 75, is a founding member of The Supremes.
Ray Lewis
Ray Lewis, 44, is a former NFL linebacker who retired after the 2012 season.
Sean Spicer
In 2017, Sean Spicer, 47, served as the 28th White House Press Secretary under President Donald Trump. He resigned from the position in July 2017 after seven months.
Dancing With the Stars premieres on ABC Monday, September 16, at 8 p.m. ET.
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