James Denton reflects on ‘adventurous’ France’s ‘Dancing With The Stars’

James Denton recently opened up about his experience on the French version of Dancing With The Stars during a Christmas Con panel in Edison, New Jersey.

The Good Witch star revealed that while his time on the show was rewarding, it left him with lingering physical challenges.

In regards to this, Denton shared, “I’m still paying for it. Both my knees are just destroyed. I am still trying to recover. But it was really fun, and the people were really nice,” while referring to the rigorous four-month training and competition alongside his dance partner, Candice Pascal.

According to People, the opportunity to compete arose after the Writers Guild of America and Screen Actors Guild strikes in 2023 left Denton with time to take on new ventures.

Despite being invited to join the U.S. version of Dancing with the Stars in the past, Denton had declined, citing his lack of dance skills.

However, the massive popularity of Desperate Housewives in France made him reconsider when approached again, as per the publication.

Moreover, Denton stated, “They take care of you, and it was a big adventure. It terrified me, and I knew then that I had to do it. But it was terrifying. Terrifying!”

Additionally, Denton also noted differences between the U.S. and French versions of the show, explaining that French routines airing live are longer than two minutes compared to the shorter U.S. performances.

As per the outlet’s claims, the actor, who doesn’t speak French fluently, relied on a humorous phrase during his stay, “Je suis désolé, mon français est nul,” which translates to “I’m sorry, my French sucks.”

Although he lasted six weeks in the competition, Denton said that he was relieved when his time on the show ended as he explained, “I just didn’t want to be out the first week or two. I wanted to stay around a while. When I got voted off, the host said, ‘I’ve never seen anybody so happy to get voted off.’ The remaining competitors were much better, and I survived because the fans were really nice.”

While reflecting on the challenge, Dentor added, “My heart was pounding so hard. I felt like a little kid. It was exciting, but really scary.”