Dancing with the Stars judge Carrie Ann Inaba has spoken out about missing the reality dancing competition's live Season 34 premiere.
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"Bravo to the whole cast and crew of @dancingwiththestars. That was an incredible premiere episode!" Carrie Ann, 57, wrote via Instagram Stories on Wednesday, September 17, according to Us Weekly.
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Dancing with the Stars' Season 34 premiere on September 16 featured 14 celebrity and professional pairings taking the stage and performing to each celebrity's personal anthem in life.
The two-hour episode featured stunning performances and many high scores from Carrie Ann's fellow judges Derek Hough and Bruno Tonioli. Due to Carrie Ann's absence, the highest total score a couple could earn was 20 points.
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"And thank YOU all for the well wishes," Carrie Ann continued in her statement.
"I'm touched at all the messages of support I [received] and for the respectful way the show handled a very human situation. And BRAVO to everyone for those incredible performances!"
Hours before the debut episode, Carrie Ann announced via Instagram that she was going to miss Dancing with the Stars' first episode of its Fall 2025 season due to illness.
"I wanted to share that I will not be at the show tonight as I am feeling quite under the weather," Carrie Ann explained on Tuesday.
"I'm resting up and can't wait to be back next week in good health. In the meantime, I wish all the contestants the very best of luck. I'll be cheering you on from home. Have a great show everyone!"
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Dancing with the Stars host Alfonso Ribeiro addressed Carrie Ann's absence at the top of the broadcast.
"It's great to have all of you at home joining us in the ballroom and wonderful to see our judges. Well, two of them," Alfonso quipped on Tuesday. "Carrie Ann is under the weather and hopes to be back with us next week."
Dancing with the Stars co-host Julianne Hough added, "Get well soon, Carrie Ann. We love you."
Carrie Ann -- who joined Dancing with the Stars as a judge for Season 1 all the way back in 2005 -- didn't specify what type of illness or medical condition had her feeling down.
Many Dancing with the Stars fans are concerned about Carrie Ann's health and well-being considering she had also missed the Season 34 casting announcement which took place live on Good Morning America's September 3 broadcast.
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During that September 3 broadcast of GMA, Derek, Bruno, Alfonso and Julianne were all in the show's New York City studio to celebrate the Season 34 lineup.
Amid her absence, Carrie Ann posted an article about the cast announcement on Instagram Stories and reportedly gushed, "Here we goooooo!!!!"
It's unclear whether Carrie Ann's current illness is the same one she was battling two weeks ago or if they are completely different and unrelated.
Although additional details about Carrie Ann's condition haven't been released, Carrie Ann has been very open about her health issues over the years.
Carrie Ann has several chronic conditions, including lupus, according to Us.
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Carrie Ann had revealed in 2007 on Dancing with the Stars' fourth season that she was diagnosed with spinal stenosis.
"I think it started because I went from being a very active person to a non-active person," Carrie Ann told People in 2019. "I remember going to the doctor, and I couldn't move my head. I was in excruciating pain for years."
Carrie Ann was then diagnosed with Sjogren's syndrome, an incurable immune disorder, six years later.
"It was debilitating," Carrie Ann explained to People.
"I was in so much pain, I just had to survive. I had to stay in bed three days a week, and I'm so fortunate because I had the kind of job where I could do that. There were days I could barely make my coffee because I was so exhausted."
And in Fall 2023, Carrie Ann gave viewers some insight into her ongoing battle with lupus.
"After years of wondering why I felt the way I did, I now know that I live with lupus -- an autoimmune disorder in which the immune system attacks the body and causes inflammation that over time can damage different parts of the body including the organs," Carrie Ann wrote via Instagram in October of that year.
RELATED LINK: 'DANCING WITH THE STARS' PROS AND THEIR SIGNIFICANT OTHERS: WHO'S DATING OR MARRIED TO WHOM!? (PHOTOS)
"I am proactive about trying to prevent my own lupus flares by taking rest and managing my stress levels, amongst other things."
Carrie Ann once noted on her wellness platform, The Carrie Ann Conversations, that she thinks it's important "to be honest" about her "needs and realities" with the public rather than suffering in silence.