Summer House star Ciara Miller admitted she’s “gained weight” since starting rehearsals for season 35 of Dancing With the Stars.
While Miller, 30, was speaking to Lance Bass during Live From E!: Countdown to the 2026 Emmys on Monday, September 14, the former ‘NSync member, 47, shared that he “lost 20 pounds” while appearing on season 7 of the show in 2008.
Miller then revealed she’s had a different experience so far. “I’ve gained weight,” she said.
The Bravo personality will compete alongside pro Brandon Armstrong in the upcoming season. For their first dance during the night two of the premiere on Wednesday, September 16, the pair will dance to Whitney Houston’s “Exhale (Shoop Shoop).”
“I pray for my ankles every single day,” she added of rehearsals. “But I’m definitely getting my butt kicked a little. Like, I haven’t worked out this much since high school.”
As Miller continues to put hard work into rehearsals, she shared that she’s motivated to go far in the competition. “I want to go to the finals so bad. I have so many ideas. So many costumes. So many things,” she said.
Miller previously spoke to Us about her preparation process for the show, joking that people have “called me lazy for some years now” because she loves her “relationship with my bed.” (Since she joined the cast of Summer House in 2021, Miller has been known as one of the “bed bugs” who spends a lot of time lounging in bed.)
However, she said she’s hoping DWTS changes the way she’s viewed by fans. “This is an opportunity for people to really see if I stand up to the term ‘lazy.’ And I love a challenge,” she said. “There’s no better place to do it than DWTS.”
While speaking to Us, Miller also reflected on how costars Amanda Batula and West Wilson’s controversial romance affected everyone in the cast when they confirmed the news in early spring. (Batula, 35, was a close friend of Miller’s until she revealed she was secretly dating Wilson, 31, who had an on-off relationship with the model since he joined the cast of Summer House in 2024).
“Lord, last summer to this summer? You know, I’m still a work in progress,” Miller told Us of how she’s changed since the scandal broke.
Fans can expect to see Miller on the upcoming 11th season of the Bravo show, though Batula and West will not return to the series in light of the backlash they received.
“We’re figuring it out. I don’t have all the answers all the time,” Miller said while teasing what fans can expect in new episodes.
Dancing With the Stars season 35 premieres on ABC and Disney+ Tuesday, September 15, at 8 p.m. ET.
