DWTS’ Jenna Johnson Shares Update on “Little Accident” of Broken Nose
Dancing with the Stars’ Jenna Johnson Breaks Bone Night Before Quarter Finals
Jenna Johnson is putting her best nose, er, foot forward.
Despite taking an accidental hit to the face the day before the Dancing With the Stars quarterfinals on Nov. 10, Johnson confirmed she isn’t going to let the broken bone affect her and Harry Shum Jr.’s performances.
“It's so funny, these little accidents always happen,” she exclusively told E! News following the show’s Grammys night. “Dance is a physical contact sport, and I want to always represent dancers as athletes. Just like any other professional athlete would get a little dinged up here or there, they would still go compete.”
“They kept asking me,” she added, like, ‘Do you want someone to dance for you?’ And I was like, ‘No, I love this dance. I've loved dancing this week with Harry. Like, no one is keeping me off the freaking dance floor.’”
And a good thing, too, since their salsa to “Die With a Smile” earned an impressive 29 out of a possible 30 points.
Plus, it helped that the people in Johnson’s life all have a nose for how to best carry her through the performance, despite the injury.
“I've been so supported,” the 32-year-old said. “So, I have to thank all the teams that were there for me last night. But yeah, it's just part of the show.”
Shum, however, wasn’t ready for his partner to brush off her accomplishment.
Disney/Christopher Willard
“It also speaks to you,” the Grey’s Anatomy star emphasized. “Dancers don't get enough credit for how much pain they go through—their feet, injuries in their knees, their back, and like your nose.”
He added, “And to say like, ‘Nope, I'm going to keep going,’ because you love to perform. But also, you work so hard for something and you said, ‘No, I'm not going to let this stop me if it doesn't need to.’”
And stop her it won’t, with the two ready to lead each other on a merry dance all the way through the semifinals.
“Jenna always has a strategy,” Shum emphasized, “and I follow whatever she has in store.”
Meanwhile, Johnson noted it truly takes two to tango.
“You are so smart when it comes to things,” she added. “I love that leading up to this moment, I think we were very thoughtful about what we wanted to do in the semifinals if we had the opportunity to be here. And I'm super excited.”
For a look back at all the couples who participated on this season of Dancing With the Stars as the show heads into week 10, read on.
Disney/Andrew Eccles
Julia Stiles & Ezra Sosa
The 10 Things I Hate About You star had her last dance with her pro partner during Nov. 2's Disney Night.
Disney/Andrew Eccles
Giada De Laurentiis & Alan Bersten
The celebrity chef couldn't cha-cha-chop away the competition and was eliminated during the Sept. 22 episode.
Disney/Andrew Eccles
Harry Shum Jr. & Jenna Johnson
What did you miss on Glee? The actor taking his musical talents to the dance floor.
Disney/Andrew Eccles
Taylor Hanson & Britt Stewart
Sadly, the former '90s teen heartthrob did not MMMBop his way to the top of the leaderboard on season 35. He and his pro partner were axed from the competition on Sept. 29.
Disney/Andrew Eccles
Tatyana Ali & Jan Ravnik
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air actress will be bringing her fresh moves to the dance floor.
Disney/Andrew Eccles
Jenna Dewan & Val Chmerkovskiy
Twenty years after starring in Step Up, the dancer stepped up—and out—when she got cut from the competition in a shocking Nov. 10 elimination.
Disney/Andrew Eccles
Amber Glenn & Pasha Pashkov
The 2026 Olympic figure skater will take her skills from the ice to the ballroom.
Disney/Andrew Eccles
Ezra Frech & Daniella Karagach
The Team USA Paralympic track and field athlete will show off his athleticism on DWTS.
Disney/Andrew Eccles
Sarah Jane Nader & Hailey Bills
Though her sister Brooks Nader was the fifth star to be eliminated on season 33, the Love Thy Nader star said goodbye to the competition after her debut episode on Sept. 16.
Disney/Andrew Eccles
Connor Wood & Rylee Arnold
The comedian, also known as Fibula on social media, is ready to earn more applause on DWTS.
Disney/Andrew Eccles
Conner Leavitt & Adele Zaikman
The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives star followed his wife Whitney Leavitt's footsteps after her season 34 appearance, but he bid farwell to the season 35 competition during the Sept. 15 premiere.
Disney/Andrew Eccles
Tyler Cameron & Sharna Burgess
Though the Bachelor Nation star traded in roses for rumbas, he was sent home on Oct. 27 in a double elimination.
Disney/Andrew Eccles
Jackson Olson & Emma Slater
The Savannah Bananas baseball player stepped up to the plate, but struck out on Oct. 27 in a double elimination.
Disney/Andrew Eccles
Guillermo Rodriguez & Witney Carson
The Jimmy Kimmel Live! star was ready to learn some new moves, but his time on DWTS was cut short on Oct. 13.
Disney/Andrew Eccles
Ciara Miller & Brandon Armstrong
Even though Summer House star had fans screaming "bravo," she was eliminated from the competition on Oct. 6.
Disney/Andrew Eccles
Maura Higgins & Mark Ballas
The Love Island U.K. alum is hoping her love for DWTS doesn't betray her as she manifested this experience.
"I have a vision board and I redo it every year," she told E! News in May. "This year is the first year that I stayed at home by myself on New Year's Eve. I did not go out at all. I made myself a bowl of pasta and a glass of red wine and I redid my vision board for the year. Dancing With the Stars was already on it from the year before. However, I added five more Dancing With the Stars on the board."
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