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Dancing With The Stars (DWTS) Season 31 aired a brand new episode on Monday, October 17, 2022, at 8 pm ET on Disney+. This week, contestant-choreographer pairs had to base their performances on their most memorable year. However, the highlight for the episode was Selma Blair's final performance.
Ahead of her routine, Selma explained that she suffered from multiple sclerosis and was competing whilst dealing with the illness. She revealed that the dancing has caused too much stress on her bones, leading her to decide to take a step back and focus on her health for now. She earned a perfect score of 40/40 ahead of her exit.
No one was eliminated in the latest episode and the scores from tonight will be added to the scores in tomorrow’s live show.
Following Selma's announcement, fans took to social media to express their support for her. One tweeted:
Fans shower Selma Blair with love as she exits from DWTS Season 31
Ahead of her exit from DWTS, Selma Blair danced to What The World Needs Now by Andra Day.
For their gentle dancing and heartfelt farewell, Selma and her partner Sasha Farber received perfect scores from judges Len Goodman, Derek Hough, Carrie Ann Inaba, and Bruno Tonioli.
Following her departure, fans took to social media to extend support to her, with many even deeming her a "hero" for competing despite her chronic illness. Check out what they have to say.
A quick look at Selma Blair and her battle with multiple sclerosis
Selma was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2018 and has been having a tough time dealing with her health ever since. However, that didn't stop her from putting her best foot forward on Dancing With The Stars (DWTS) Season 31.
She was known for her memorable performances and also earned decent scores from the judges thorughout her short run this season.
Ahead of her stint on the reality dance competition, she called the opportunity a "new chapter" and said:
"This is a new chapter of growing my stamina and really healing. Not just healing, but finding strength and support. It is for the viewer, because that is what's given me support. In dark times in my life, there have been people that came forward—strangers on the street or Instagram... I'm doing it for them."
Multiple Scleoris is a disease that "impacts the brain, spinal cord and optic nerves, which make up the central nervous system and controls everything we do," as per the explanation given by the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. Symptoms for the same include fatigue, speech problems, dementia, and more.
After being diagnosed with the condition in 2018, selma opened up to her fans and followers on Instagram about struggling with managing her disease. She said:
“I am in an exacerbation. I am disabled. I fall sometimes. I drop things. My memory is foggy. And my left side is asking for directions from a broken gps. But we are doing it. And I laugh and I don’t know exactly what I will do precisely but I will do my best.”
In a September interview with Good Morning America, Selma had explained that she was initially "terrified" of agreeing to go on DWTS as she was skeptical of managing her condition successfully. However, she made up her mind just a few days before the final cast announcement was made and decided not to let the disease get the best of her.
During her final performance on DWTS, the room was filled with tears as fellow cast members were left emotional but proud to witness her strength and resilience.
On tonight's episode of DWTS, Charli D'Amelio and partner Mark Balls scored 39/40, missing out on the perfect score by just one point. They were followed by Wayne Brady and partner Witney Carson with a score of 37/40. Jessie James Decker and partner Alan Bersten earned the lowest score of 29/40 for the night.
Tune in to a brand new episode of DWTS as the cast gets ready for Prom Night on Tuesday, October 18, 2022, at 8 pm ET on Disney+.
