Blair departs ‘Dancing with the Stars’

NEW YORK

Selma Blair will not continue competing on this season of “Dancing with the Stars” due to health concerns, the actress said on Oct. 17.

Blair, who first shared she was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2018, has competed strongly on the series over the past five weeks. Her body, however, “has taken a hit,” she said.

“I’ve been monitored… I had MRIs and the results came back, and it all adds up to, I can’t go on with the competition,” Blair revealed to her dance partner Sasha Farber in a taped piece.

“I’ve pushed as far as I could. With a chronic illness, you do have special considerations, and my body has taken a hit. It’s way too much for the safety of my bones. I could do extensive damage that I, of course, do not want,” the actress continued.

Blair completed a final Waltz dance with Farber to “What the World Needs Now Is Love.”

“This is a dance for everyone that has tried and hoped they could do more, but also, the power in realizing it’s time to walk away. I am so, so grateful to be able to do one last gentle dance,” Blair said.

Blair shared her experience with the illness in the documentary “Introducing, Selma Blair,” which premiered in select theaters over the weekend. The film shows the actress undergoing stem-cell treatment, including chemotherapy, revealing the toll the treatment has had on Blair’s body.