Image Source: People.com
Giada De Laurentiis is stepping far outside her comfort zone. The Food Network star is competing on season 35 of Dancing with the Stars after turning down invitations to join the popular ballroom competition roughly 10 times.
Now 56, De Laurentiis is dancing with professional partner Alan Bersten and has already survived the first elimination. Although she had repeatedly rejected the opportunity in the past, she recently explained why this season felt different and what finally convinced her to take the leap.
Giada De Laurentiis Reveals Why She Finally Said Yes
Speaking with E! News, De Laurentiis admitted that producers had approached her many times over the years. Her reaction had always been an emphatic no.
“Funny enough, Dancing with the Stars has come to me maybe 10 times over the years,” she said. “I was always like, ‘No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no.’”
That changed when her daughter, Jade, encouraged her to view the opportunity as a new adventure. With Jade preparing to leave home for college, De Laurentiis realized she had reached an important turning point in her life.
“This time, I thought, with my daughter pushing me and with my daughter out of the house, this is a really good time for me to go on a new adventure and push myself to do something I’ve never done,” she explained.
A Powerful New Chapter After Jade Leaves Home
Jade graduated from high school in May and moved into a dorm in August to begin her first semester at New York University. The transition has been emotional for her mother, who spent 18 years being part of her daughter’s everyday life.
In an earlier interview with People, De Laurentiis described the change as the beginning of an entirely new chapter. She clarified that she was not finished being a mother, but acknowledged that college meant she would no longer be there day-to-day in the same way.
“It’s really exciting, but I think it’s also incredibly emotional because everything I do with her I feel like is one of the last times I’m going to do it in this way,” the television personality said.
That emotional transition made the timing of Dancing with the Stars especially meaningful. Instead of remaining focused solely on the changes at home, De Laurentiis decided to embrace a demanding personal challenge of her own.
She Nearly Walked Away Before the Competition Began
Despite accepting the offer, De Laurentiis revealed that she briefly considered backing out. Just before taking Jade to college, the pressure of the new commitment became overwhelming.
“I tried to get out of it. Right before I dropped her off, I was like, ‘I can’t. This is just too much,’” she told E! News.
Jade, however, was not willing to let her mother give up. According to De Laurentiis, her daughter responded with a direct message: “Mom! Pull up your boots and let’s go. Get it together.”
The advice appears to have worked. De Laurentiis is now tackling rehearsals, live performances and the intense physical demands of competitive dancing alongside Bersten. The experience is a significant departure from her familiar role as a chef and television host.
Fans Are Supporting Her DWTS Journey
De Laurentiis has acknowledged that learning ballroom choreography at this stage of her life is not easy. Still, she is using the experience to challenge long-held expectations about what she can accomplish.
“I’m trying to tell myself even at this stage, you can do something new. You can conquer something new,” she said.
Her willingness to be vulnerable has resonated with viewers. Fans are following her progress not only to see how far she advances in the competition, but also to watch her navigate an emotional transition familiar to many parents: sending a child off to college while discovering a new identity at home.
For De Laurentiis, the ballroom has become more than a television stage. It represents independence, reinvention and a chance to prove that major new beginnings can happen at any age.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did Giada De Laurentiis join Dancing with the Stars?
She joined after her daughter, Jade, encouraged her to accept the challenge. With Jade leaving home for college, De Laurentiis felt the timing was right for a new adventure.
How many times did Giada De Laurentiis turn down DWTS?
De Laurentiis said the show approached her roughly 10 times before she finally agreed to compete.
Who is Giada De Laurentiis dancing with?
She is partnered with professional dancer Alan Bersten during season 35 of Dancing with the Stars.
Where is Giada De Laurentiis’s daughter attending college?
Jade is attending New York University and recently moved into a dorm for her first semester.
Did Giada De Laurentiis survive the first elimination?
Yes. De Laurentiis survived the first elimination and remains in the season 35 competition.
