Dancing With the Stars has lost two longtime professional dancers ahead of its Disney+ debut later this month.
Sharna Burgess and Lindsay Arnold both announced on Wednesday (August 31) that they will not be returning for season 31 of the US version of Strictly Come Dancing.
Burgess made her DWTS debut back in 2011, but she confirmed the news of her departure via her Instagram story, writing: "After long conversations and lots of thinking and really trying to sit with what was right, and many conversations with Deena Katz, who is our casting director but also a second mom to me, I made the really hard decision to not do this season of Dancing with the Stars."
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The dancer, who took home the season 27 Mirrorball trophy with her celeb dance partner Bobby Bones, added: "I'm at one hundred percent capacity with my body. I feel fit, I feel strong, I’m so ready to dance."
Burgess gave birth to her first son Zane in July with Brian Austin Green and continued by saying that she is "not ready to spend a minimum of 10 hours a day away" from him, though she did tease that she could appear this season "in some capacity".
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Arnold also took to Instagram to announced her exit by writing a lengthy post beside a picture of herself with her husband Samuel and daughter Sage that reads: "I wanted to let you all know that I have decided not to be a part of Dancing With the Stars this season.
"This has been one of the hardest decisions to make but ultimately I have chosen what I feel is best for myself and my family."
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Like Burgess, Arnold made the decision to leave the show so she could spend more time with her family. If she was on the show this year, that would prove pretty difficult since she would have to move herself and her daughter from their home in Utah to LA and leave her husband Sam back home, as he works full time there.
The dancer added that they "exhausted every opinion [they] could think to make it work" and wanted to let fans to know that her exit doesn't have "anything to do with [her] love for the show".
She continued: "I can't wait to watch this next season of DWTS and see all of my friends dance, I'm going to be the biggest fan girl!... Thank you all for your continued love and support for me and my family it means so much!"
Dancing With the Stars will premiere on Disney+ on Monday, September 19.
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