Jeannie Mai forced to withdraw from DWTS due to a rare throat condition

As if this season of Dancing With The Stars wasn’t nail-biting enough, now it’s taken a hard left turn. The Real host and beloved DWTS competitor Jeannie Mai announced Monday, November 2^nd that she must regretfully withdraw from the 29^th season of the show due to a newly diagnosed throat condition that requires immediate attention and surgery. The condition, known as epiglottitis, causes inflammation of the throat and can block air flow to the lungs. Okay 2020, you’ve made your point.In a statement released to PEOPLE, Jeannie said, “It saddens me that I will not be able to continue with the competition on DWTS. My doctors discovered a health concern with my throat which requires immediate attention and surgery."

Jeannie Mai will not be able to continue to compete on #DWTS this season due to a health concern that requires immediate attention. Jeannie has inspired us, along with millions of fans, with her energy and dedication. We wish her a full and speedy recovery. pic.twitter.com/HTgkhC5tXt

— Dancing with the Stars #DWTS (@DancingABC) November 2, 2020

"I am heartbroken that my DWTS journey has to end here. The last several weeks have been an amazing learning experience. I have pushed myself to new limits physically and mentally, and I am so proud of how far we’ve come," she told PEOPLE. "I can't thank my partner Brandon [Armstrong] enough for being so supportive and believing in me. I also want to thank MAI fans who voted every week and I wish everyone else in the competition the best of luck!"Brandon Armstrong, her professional dance partner on DWTS, sent a video statement to Good Morning America, saying, “We are devastated by the news that we’re gonna have to cut this season short, but Jeannie’s health does come first. Thank you to all the fans that have helped to get us this far and we are praying for a speedy recovery for Jeannie.”The long-running celebrity dance competition show also released a statement on Jeannie’s sudden and unexpected departure, tweeting in part, “Jeannie has inspired us, along with millions of fans, with her energy and dedication. We wish her a full and speedy recovery.”This means a major shakeup for tonight’s episode. Although couples will still perform two dances, there will only be one couple eliminated tonight, instead of two. The Relay Dance will go on as planned. The Viennese Waltz group (Britt/Johnny & Sasha/Justina) will only have two couples.The competitors still standing for the coveted top spot include Backstreet Boys’ AJ McLean, Olympic figure skater Johnny Weir, Selling Sunset’s Chrishell Stause, rapper Nelly, actress Justina Machado, Catfish host Nev Schulman, Disney Channel star Skai Jackson, and Kaitlyn Bristowe of The Bachelorette.

Since Jeannie had to withdraw from the competition, tonight’s show will feature the eight remaining couples and a single elimination.

— Dancing with the Stars #DWTS (@DancingABC) November 2, 2020

The news has obviously hit DWTS stans hard, with a flood of tweets in support of the much-beloved 41-year-old competitor hitting social media.

Thank you for being an incredible contestant and bringing so much joy to the show your journey was fun to watch and so bummed to see you go ?❤️ wishing you a speedy and nice recovery @jeanniemai

— Thomas Steven ? (@thomassteven00) November 2, 2020

Oh no!!!!! @jeanniemai I always look forward to your dances, your energy and your overall radiance, but your health is way more important than anything. Wishing you a speedy recovery!

— ✊?✊?✊?✊?✊?Doe Eyes✊?✊?✊?✊?✊? (@__Doe_Eyes__) November 2, 2020

@jeanniemai thank you so much for the fun and positive energy you and Brandon brought to DWTS, going to miss you but wishing you a speedy recovery❤️❤️

— graysen (@gray_dwts) November 2, 2020

Despite finishing in the bottom two for the first time last week, Jeannie has always been considered a strong competitor. She pulled at our heart strings when she revealed on the show the details of her family’s terrifying journey to America from Vietnam. She also displayed a great attitude and sense of humour, especially when she told viewers that her mom was actually wagering against her in a DWTS betting pool.Jeannie, you will be sorely missed. Get better soon![video_embed id='2065495']Before you go: This viral dancing grandmother is the best thing on the internet right now[/video_embed]