Giada De Laurentiis’ boyfriend is accused of creating tension backstage during her “Dancing with the Stars” run. The Giada De Laurentiis’ Boyfriend Blamed For Creating ‘Major Problem’ Backstage At ‘DWTS’ first appeared on The Blast

Giada De Laurentiis may be focused on mastering her routines on “Dancing with the Stars,” but her longtime boyfriend, Shane Farley, is reportedly creating a very different kind of tension behind the scenes. Sources claim the Emmy-winning television producer has become heavily involved in De Laurentiis’ experience on the ABC competition, allegedly approaching the set as though he were one of the show’s decision-makers.

While insiders acknowledged that Farley’s behavior comes from his desire to protect and support De Laurentiis, they claimed his intense involvement has made it more difficult for members of the production team to do their jobs.

Shane Farley Is Accused Of Acting Like A ‘Control Freak’

According to the Daily Mail, Farley has reportedly been attempting to influence decisions involving De Laurentiis’ participation in the show. “Shane is a total control freak,” one source told the publication. “He thinks he knows television better than everyone else in the room… Everything has to go through Shane.”

Farley has spent decades working behind the camera and is a four-time Emmy Award-winning television producer. His credits include programs such as “The Rachael Ray Show,” “The Voice” and “The Steve Harvey Show.” However, the sources stressed that Farley does not hold an official production role on “Dancing with the Stars.”

The alleged tension reportedly stems from him applying his experience as a producer and showrunner to decisions surrounding De Laurentiis’ time in the ballroom.

The Producer Reportedly Handles Every Aspect Of Giada De Laurentiis’ Career

Farley is said to have become much more involved in De Laurentiis’ career since the couple started dating in 2015. Insiders claimed the distinction between his personal and professional roles in her life has nearly disappeared.

“He’s her boyfriend, manager, agent, bodyguard and publicist all rolled into one,” a source said. “He behaves like Giada is Taylor Swift with a frying pan. Everything is treated like an enormous event requiring layers of protection and control.”

Another insider claimed he stepped back from his own producing career to prioritize the celebrity chef. “Shane gave up a lucrative producing career and completely rearranged his life for Giada,” the source alleged. “This is personal for him. Her success is his success, which means he gets involved in absolutely everything.”

Farley’s reported motivation may be personal, but sources said his approach has still become a problem for those working on the dancing competition. “Nobody is questioning how much he loves her,” one insider explained. “The problem is Shane still thinks like an executive producer… Except he’s not the executive producer of ‘Dancing with the Stars.’”

Neither Farley nor De Laurentiis has publicly responded to the backstage allegations.

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Giada De Laurentiis And Shane Farley Met Through Television

De Laurentiis first met Farley in 2013 when he was hired to help develop a daytime talk show that would have involved her and fellow Food Network personality Bobby Flay. The proposed program never materialized, but De Laurentiis and Farley remained friendly. At the time, De Laurentiis was married to fashion designer Todd Thompson. The former couple, who share their daughter Jade, finalized their divorce in 2014 after more than a decade of marriage.

Farley was previously married to personal trainer Jennifer Giamo. Their marriage ended in 2015. De Laurentiis and Farley reconnected after their respective marriages ended and began dating in 2015.

“After I divorced, I spent about a year and a half alone, not dating, just figuring things out,” De Laurentiis told PEOPLE in 2018. “I had been with Jade’s dad for 25 years. I didn’t know what it meant not to be married. Once I got settled, Shane and I reconnected, and I felt like a kid again.”

Farley remembered their relationship developing gradually. “We would bump into each other, we would grab a drink… We were just friends and then eventually we started dating,” he said.

Shane Farley Has Become Part Of De Laurentiis’ Family And Career

He also praised De Laurentiis’ personality during the interview. “Giada is one of the most positive people I have ever met,” Farley shared. “She’s warm and absolutely beautiful – what you see on the outside is there on the inside as well.”

Farley has also developed a close relationship with De Laurentiis’ daughter and previously helped the chef produce “Giada at Home 2.0” during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Celebrity Chef Suffered A Broken Toe Before Her Debut

Farley attended the “Dancing with the Stars” premiere alongside De Laurentiis’ daughter and other loved ones. De Laurentiis is partnered with professional dancer Alan Bersten for Season 35. Shortly before making her ballroom debut, the Food Network alum revealed that she had broken her toe during rehearsals. The injury did not prevent De Laurentiis from competing.

She and Bersten performed a tango and received a score of 16 out of 30 from the judges. Although the score left the pair near the lower portion of the leaderboard, they avoided elimination and advanced in the competition.

De Laurentiis became emotional after the performance while discussing how her daughter encouraged her to leave her comfort zone. Bersten also appeared emotional as they reflected on the significance of the routine.

Maura Higgins and Mark Ballas topped the women’s leaderboard with a score of 21 out of 30 for their foxtrot. Other competitors this season include Julia Stiles, Jenna Dewan, Tatyana Ali, Ciara Miller and Olympic figure skater Amber Glenn.

The Giada De Laurentiis’ Boyfriend Blamed For Creating ‘Major Problem’ Backstage At ‘DWTS’ first appeared on The Blast