Giada De Laurentiis is finally trading in her kitchen for a ballroom floor.
As the Food Network star laces up her shoes to join pro Alan Bersten on Dancing With the Stars' upcoming season 35, she revealed that her 18-year-old daughter Jade inspired her to finally take the leap.
"Funny enough, Dancing With the Stars has come to me maybe 10 times over the years," De Laurentiis exclusively told E! News in a joint interview with Bersten following the DWTS cast reveal at Disney HQ in New York City on Sept. 2. "And I was always like, 'No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no.'"Â Â
With her sous chef starting her first semester in college, the 56-year-old knew season 35âwhich kicks off with a two-night premiere Sept. 15 and 16 at 8 p.m. ET on ABCâwas her time to shine.
"This time, I thought, with my daughter pushing me and with my daughter out of my house," she explained, "This is a really good time for me to go on a new adventure and push myself to do something I've never done."
The celebrity chef playfully teased, "And hopefully, I won't regret it!"
In fact, De Laurentiisâwho shares the teen with ex-husband Todd Thompsonâadmitted that she even tried to back out, much to Jade's chagrin.
"I tried to get out of it," she said. "Right before I dropped her off, I was like, 'I can't. This is just too much.' And she's like, 'Mom! Pull up your boots and let's go. Get it together.'"
So, she committed to cooking up this new adventure. And the Giada at Home alum emphasized that the dance competition is completely out of her wheelhouse.
"It's totally different," she shared. "I do not have a stove. I do not have any of my tricks and any of my tools in my toolbox. So this is way, way out of my comfort zone."
But she's also up for the challenge, especially with Berstenâwho placed fifth with Elaine Hendrix last seasonâby her side.
"I already learned a lot and I already have a lot of sore muscles, muscles I didn't even know I did," De Laurentiis jokingly added. "I'm trying to tell myself even at this stage, you can do something new. You can conquer something new."
Meanwhile, the pro couldn't be more excited for the opportunity. He exclaimed to De Laurentiis during the interview, "You're gonna learn so much. It's gonna be amazing."
As De Laurentiis and Bersten warm up for Dancing With the Stars season 35, keep reading to see all the pairs vying for the Mirrorball Trophy.
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The Love Island UK 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."