Christie Brinkley's Daughter Will Take Her Place on Dancing with the Stars After She Broke Arm
Christie Brinkley won’t be cha-cha-chaing her way onto this season of Dancing with the Stars after all — though her daughter Sailor Brinkley-Cook, will be.
On Monday, ABC announced that the 65-year-old supermodel and actress’ youngest daughter would be taking her place on the popular dancing competition after Christie fell and broke her arm during rehearsals.
“Showbiz is all about getting a break, and Sailor and I both got one on Dancing with the Stars this season,” Christie said in a statement to Good Morning America, joking about her injury. “Sailor joined the cast when I got mine … ouch somebody stop me, it hurts to laugh!”
GMA tweeted out footage of Christie’s fall. In the clip, she appeared to trip over her partner’s foot during a turn, sending her tumbling to the ground.
BBC Studios and ABC said in a statement to PEOPLE that Christie “suffered injuries which required surgery to her wrist and arm.”
“We wish Christie a full and speedy recovery and look forward to seeing her in the audience, whenever possible, proudly supporting Sailor,” the statement continued.
EXCLUSIVE ballroom bombshell! @SeaBrinkley is out of @DancingABC before the season begins. She tells @Ginger_Zee about her injury and the moment she called her daughter Sailor to ask her to step in for mom coming up on @GMA! #DWTS https://t.co/vCu1GI9DWR pic.twitter.com/SBDoWy84Aq
— Good Morning America (@GMA) September 16, 2019
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Sailor, 21 — who Christie shares with ex-husband Peter Cook — has already started rehearsals for DWTS, which premieres on Monday. The Sports Illustrated model is even wearing her mom’s performance outfit, which ABC News reported “did not need to be altered at all.”
Speaking with GMA, Sailor said she’s was excited to take on the challenge of the competition.
“I felt this high of just attacking something I was so afraid of and it felt like something I need to do,” she said. “I think it will change me.”
Of course, she’s doing the show with one person in mind.
“I’m doing this mostly for my mom!” Sailor said. “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.”
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Christie is far from the first celebrity forced to drop out of DWTS due to injury before the show has begun airing.
Back in season 8, both Jewel and Nancy O’Dell turned in their dancing shoes during pre-show rehearsals — with Jewel fracturing her tibias in both legs and O’Dell suffering from a torn knee cartilage (They were replaced by Holly Madison and Melissa Rycroft).
Other stars have left after experiencing health problems during the season, including Misty May-Treanor (ruptured Achilles tendon), Tom DeLay (stress fractures in both feet), Dorothy Hamill (spinal injury), Billy Dee Williams (chronic back problems), and Kim Zolciak-Biermann and Tamar Braxton (both from blood clots).
Sailor also isn’t the first relative of a celebrity to save the day after a DWTS withdrawal. In season 2, Master P took the place of his son Romeo, who left the competition before the season kicked off.
A total of 12 celebrities will compete on DWTS‘ 28th season.
Other stars include country singer Lauren Alaina, Fifth Harmony songstress Ally Brooke, Bachelorette star Hannah Brown, Queer Eye star Karamo Brown, Office alum Kate Flannery, former NFL linebacker Ray Lewis, Nickelodeon’s Kel Mitchell, NBA forward Lamar Odom, President Donald Trump‘s controversial former White House Press secretary Sean Spicer, Dawson‘s Creek star James Van Der Beek and former Supremes singer Mary Wilson.
Dancing with the Stars premieres at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.
