Giada De Laurentiis is sending love to her supporters after her time on Dancing with the Stars came to an end. The celebrity chef and Food Network alum was eliminated from Season 35 during Tuesday night’s “Viral Hits Night” episode, finishing at the bottom of the leaderboard with a score of 12 out of 30 for her salsa with pro partner Alan Bersten.
The 56-year-old took to Instagram the following day to share a heartfelt video message thanking everyone who supported her throughout the experience. “I just wanted to take a second and thank everybody for all of their support through this journey,” she said in the video shared Wednesday, September 23. She also gave a special shout-out to “all the moms that shared their stories,” calling their support “really, really, really inspiring.”
Despite the early exit, De Laurentiis emphasized that the experience was about more than the competition. “I’m honored to represent women in their 50s and trying something new,” she said. “Try something that scares you, because honestly, guys, it is a rush.”
Giada De Laurentiis Is Eliminated From Dancing With the Stars
De Laurentiis and Bersten were sent home at the end of the September 22 episode, becoming the third celebrity eliminated from Season 35. The elimination came after the pair earned the lowest combined score from judges and viewer votes, tying with Guillermo Rodriguez and Witney Carson at the bottom of the leaderboard with 12 points each.
The episode’s “Viral Hits Night” theme saw the remaining couples perform routines inspired by viral moments and internet sensations. De Laurentiis and Bersten danced a salsa to Becky G’s “Bella Ciao,” a performance that failed to impress the judges.
Judge Carrie Ann Inaba described the routine with a single word: “Shaky.” Bruno Tonioli called it a “salsa with no spice,” while Derek Hough pointed out “missteps” and described the performance as “timid.”
After receiving the score, De Laurentiis remained optimistic. “It’s disappointing, but hopefully people will vote for us, and I’ll get another shot,” she told co-host Julianne Hough.
Giada De Laurentiis’ Final DWTS Performance
The salsa to “Bella Ciao” marked De Laurentiis’s second competitive dance of the season. Her first performance, a tango to “Venus” by Shocking Blue during the September 16 premiere, had earned a more respectable 16 out of 30.
For the salsa, De Laurentiis and Bersten had only four days to prepare, a fact she later cited in defending her effort. “For having four days to learn a dance when I have zero dance experience, actually pretty good,” she told E! News after the elimination. “I got the lifts, and I’ve never been thrown around like that before, and I landed.”
The performance came after a pre-recorded rehearsal package showed tension between De Laurentiis and Bersten, with the chef growing emotional over the difficulty of mastering the choreography. “We only have so much time to go slow,” she was shown saying, to which Bersten responded, “I’m the person with the least amount of patience, and I’m trying to tell you let’s be patient.”
The pair eventually found their rhythm, with Bersten joking, “Should we start doing group therapy?”
Giada De Laurentiis Thanks Fans: ‘Nothing But Love’
De Laurentiis’s post-elimination message focused entirely on gratitude and the lessons she took from the experience. In her Instagram video, she specifically addressed the women who reached out to share their own stories of stepping outside their comfort zones.
“It was really, really, really inspiring,” she said of the messages she received. “I’m honored to represent women in their 50s and trying something new.”
She concluded her message with a simple but emphatic sentiment: “I got nothing but love and I can’t wait to root everybody on.”
The gratitude extended to her professional partner as well. “He was such a loving partner, truly,” she said of Bersten. “So patient and helped me get really determined. So it was really great.”
Giada Reflects on Her DWTS Journey
De Laurentiis has been candid about the challenges of the competition, describing the experience as both physically and mentally demanding. In an interview before the season began, she revealed that she had turned down Dancing with the Stars multiple times over the years before finally saying yes for Season 35.
“I’ve been asked several times over the years, and I think that this time I said yes because my daughter basically forced me to say yes,” she told PEOPLE. “And also because I just dropped her off at college, and I think that she felt and I felt that I needed to push myself out of my comfort zone and do something totally different.”
The physical toll surprised her. “I mean, who knew that my quad muscles were so weak?” she said. “After the first day of rehearsal, the security guard who walked me to my car was like, ‘Do you want to hold onto me going down the stairs? You look like you might fall over.'”
The mental exhaustion proved equally significant. “What I didn’t realize beside the body is the mind, like how tired mentally I would be from learning something so foreign,” she explained. “I’m always go, go, go no matter what. But with this, it’s like it just made my brain like mush. I couldn’t think straight.”
After her elimination, she reflected on the broader lesson. “I feel like I taught her something,” she said of her daughter. “Like, you go out and step outside your comfort zone and sometimes that stepping out is really uncomfortable. And I was pretty uncomfortable, but I did it. I took a risk, and, you know, you don’t win everything in this life.”
Giada De Laurentiis and Alan Bersten’s Partnership
Bersten, a longtime Dancing with the Stars pro, was paired with De Laurentiis for Season 35. Their partnership extended beyond the ballroom—the two also launched a YouTube series called Cooking With Giada and Alan, in which the chef taught the dancer how to prepare simple dishes.
De Laurentiis spoke warmly about Bersten throughout the competition. Before their first dance, she wrote on Instagram: “I’m soo thankful to be on this journey with you. Truly a perfect partner. You have always met me where I am, and have made this brand new experience feel comfortable.”
After their elimination, Bersten reciprocated the sentiment. “Honestly, Giada worked so hard,” he told E! News. “And at the end of the day, I just wanted us to go out there and have fun. Dancing is fun, it’s just a lot of hard work.”
He added, “It’s been such a fun journey, and watching Giada grow every day, her work ethic—it’s amazing to see. And I’m really proud of her.”
Giada’s Daughter Jade Was Part of Her Motivation
De Laurentiis has repeatedly credited her 18-year-old daughter, Jade, as the primary reason she agreed to join the show. Jade, who started her freshman year at New York University in August, was the one who encouraged her mother to take on the challenge.
“I’ve been asked several times over the years, and I think that this time I said yes because my daughter basically forced me to say yes,” De Laurentiis told PEOPLE. “The way that she is going on a new journey, it’s time for mom to also do the same.”
Jade has been an active supporter throughout the competition, even recreating her mother’s tango choreography in a video posted from her dorm room in New York. “Dancing along from NYC,” Jade captioned the post, to which De Laurentiis replied, “You crushed it!!!”
After watching her mother’s debut performance, Jade became emotional. “Oh my God, I’m so proud of her,” she said in a video De Laurentiis shared on TikTok. “Guys, she did not think she could do that. I really hope that everyone sees how hard she worked.”
The mother-daughter connection made the experience especially meaningful for De Laurentiis. “Watching Jade watch me dance, to me, that and having her check in with me every day, texting me how I was doing and sending support and love from the East Coast, that to me was the Mirror Ball,” she said. “That was everything. It was really special and something I won’t forget.”
What Happens to Giada De Laurentiis After DWTS?
Following her elimination, De Laurentiis returns to her culinary career and business ventures. She is the founder of Giadzy, a food and lifestyle brand, and continues to publish cookbooks and appear in food-related media.
Her partnership with Bersten will continue through their YouTube series, which was launched before the season began and features the chef teaching the dancer how to cook. The first episode was already available to stream online as of September 10.
De Laurentiis has not announced any plans to return to Dancing with the Stars in any capacity, and no future television projects related to the show have been confirmed.
DWTS Season 35: What Happens Next After Giada’s Elimination?
With De Laurentiis’s departure, thirteen celebrities remain in the competition. The top of the leaderboard is currently crowded, with a three-way tie at 21 out of 30 between Jenna Dewan and Val Chmerkovskiy, Ezra Frech and Daniella Karagach, and Amber Glenn and Pasha Pashkov.
Other remaining contestants include Tatyana Ali, Tyler Cameron, Taylor Hanson, Maura Higgins, Ciara Miller, Jackson Olson, Guillermo Rodriguez, Harry Shum Jr., Julia Stiles, and Connor Wood.
Season 35 airs Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET/PT on ABC and Disney+, with episodes streaming the following day on Hulu.
Fans React to Giada De Laurentiis’ DWTS Exit
Fans expressed support for De Laurentiis following her elimination, with many focusing on her positive attitude and the example she set by stepping outside her comfort zone. The response to her Instagram video was overwhelmingly encouraging, with commenters praising her for representing women in their 50s and for her graciousness in defeat.
While a handful of social media reactions cannot represent the entirety of audience sentiment, the tone of engagement with De Laurentiis’s post-elimination content was notably supportive and appreciative of her effort rather than critical of her scores.
Why Giada’s DWTS Exit Matters to Her Fans
De Laurentiis occupies a unique space in celebrity culture as a figure who built her career on expertise and authenticity rather than performance. Her decision to appear on Dancing with the Stars represented a genuine departure from her established public persona, and her willingness to be visibly vulnerable—to struggle, to be frustrated, to admit she was uncomfortable—resonated with viewers who have followed her career.
Her elimination is also notable for its timing. De Laurentiis was sent home just weeks after dropping her daughter off at college, a transition she has described as emotionally complex. The parallel between Jade beginning a new chapter and De Laurentiis taking on a new challenge gave her Dancing with the Stars journey an added layer of personal significance.
Timeline
- September 2, 2026: Dancing with the Stars Season 35 cast announced; De Laurentiis paired with Alan Bersten
- September 10, 2026: De Laurentiis and Bersten launch YouTube series Cooking With Giada and Alan
- September 15-16, 2026: Season 35 premiere; De Laurentiis performs tango to “Venus,” scores 16/30
- September 19, 2026: Jade recreates her mother’s tango choreography in an Instagram video
- September 22, 2026: De Laurentiis and Bersten perform salsa to “Bella Ciao,” score 12/30; eliminated at end of “Viral Hits Night”
- September 23, 2026: De Laurentiis shares Instagram video thanking fans
Frequently Asked Questions
Was Giada De Laurentiis eliminated from DWTS?
Yes. Giada De Laurentiis and pro partner Alan Bersten were eliminated from Dancing with the Stars Season 35 during the September 22, 2026, episode. She became the third celebrity eliminated that season.
When was Giada De Laurentiis eliminated from Dancing with the Stars?
She was eliminated on Tuesday, September 22, 2026, during the “Viral Hits Night” episode.
Who was Giada De Laurentiis’ DWTS partner?
Her professional dance partner was Alan Bersten, a longtime Dancing with the Stars pro. The two also collaborated on a YouTube cooking series.
What dance did Giada De Laurentiis perform before being eliminated?
She performed a salsa to Becky G’s “Bella Ciao” with Bersten. The routine received a score of 12 out of 30 from the judges.
What did Giada De Laurentiis say after her DWTS elimination?
In an Instagram video, she thanked fans for their support and said she was “honored to represent women in their 50s and trying something new.” She added, “Try something that scares you, because honestly, guys, it is a rush.”
Did Giada De Laurentiis thank DWTS fans?
Yes. She posted a video message on September 23 specifically thanking fans, including “all the moms that shared their stories,” and said she had “nothing but love” for everyone who supported her.
Who is Giada De Laurentiis’ daughter?
Her daughter is Jade Marie De Laurentiis Thompson, born in 2008. Jade is a freshman at New York University and was the primary reason De Laurentiis agreed to join the show.
What is Giada De Laurentiis doing after DWTS?
She continues to run her food brand Giadzy and her culinary career. She and Alan Bersten also have a YouTube series, Cooking With Giada and Alan. No future Dancing with the Stars appearances have been announced.