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'Dancing With the Stars' shows clip of Christie Brinkley's fall as daughter takes stage

Monday's premiere showed footage of the rehearsal accident that forced the supermodel off the dance floor and into the operating room.
'Dancing with the Stars' -- Christie Brinkley/daughter
Christie Brinkley suffered a serious injury during rehearsals for "Dancing With the Stars," so her daughter, model Sailor Brinkley-Cook, performed in her place.ABC/Dancing With The Stars/YouTube
/ Source: TODAY

Just hours before Monday night's season premiere of "Dancing With the Stars," fans learned that one of the biggest stars wouldn't be able to perform on the dance floor at all.

Seemingly ageless supermodel Christie Brinkley suffered an injury during rehearsals that resulted in surgery for her and a last-minute casting switch for the show — one that put her 21-year-old daughter, Sailor Brinkley-Cook, in the spotlight.

And when the competition finally kicked off, it didn't shy away from sharing footage of the behind-the-scenes accident.

Just before Brinkley-Cook took the stage, a clip revealed her mother's early ballroom ambitions, as the 65-year-old icon first met her intended pro partner, two-time champ Val Chmerkovskiy.

"I've always been a fan of 'Dancing With the Stars,'" Brinkley beamed. "I have Val, and I couldn't be more delighted."

She seemed even more enthusiastic when she found out she'd be learning to foxtrot to ex-husband Billy Joel's hit "Uptown Girl," a track said to be penned about her — she even starred in the 1983 music video.

"It's my theme song," she said. But soon it became the soundtrack to a painful accident.

While maneuvering around her partner during the routine, Brinkley tripped over his heel and tried to break her fall with hands.

"My arm! My arm! My arm!" she cried out. "I think I broke my arm."

She was right. As she explained on Instagram Monday, the break required "a metal plate and screws." And it also required a last-minute replacement.

Despite very little rehearsal time, Brinkley's model daughter made her mother — who was seated in the audience — proud, earning 19 points out of a possible 30 for her "Uptown" foxtrot, which placed her among the top five contenders of the night.

'Dancing with the Stars' -- Christie Brinkley/daughter
"Dancing With the Stars" host Tom Bergeron welcomed Christie Brinkley to the stage after her daughter, Sailor Brinkley-Cook, danced the foxtrot she was set to perform alongside pro Val Chmerkovskiy.ABC

There are no viewer votes or eliminations in the first week of the ballroom bash for season 28, so while Brinkley will sit out the entire season, Brinkley-Cook is guaranteed to be back for more.