Giada De Laurentiis had plenty to juggle on Dancing with the Stars, but her biggest backstage headache reportedly came from her boyfriend. Shane Farley allegedly brought his producer instincts into the ballroom, creating tension while supporting Giada’s Season 35 run.
The Emmy-winning producer had spent decades working behind the scenes on major television shows. Sources claimed his devotion to Giada had blurred the line between boyfriend, career adviser and unofficial gatekeeper.
Shane Farley is reportedly causing tension behind the scenes as Giada De Laurentiis competes on Dancing with the Stars
According to the Daily Mail, insiders accused Farley of acting like a decision-maker despite having no official role on DWTS. “Shane is a total control freak,” one source claimed. “He thinks he knows television better than everyone else in the room… Everything has to go through Shane.” Another source described his involvement as unusually extensive. “He’s her boyfriend, manager, agent, bodyguard and publicist all rolled into one,” the insider said. “He behaves like Giada is Taylor Swift with a frying pan.”
The publication reported that Farley had stepped back from his producing career to prioritize Giada. “This is personal for him. Her success is his success, which means he gets involved in absolutely everything,” another source alleged. One insider acknowledged Farley’s devotion but said his approach caused friction.
“Nobody is questioning how much he loves her,” the source said. “The problem is Shane still thinks like an executive producer… Except he’s not the executive producer of ‘Dancing with the Stars.’”
Giada and Farley first met in 2013 while developing a talk show involving Bobby Flay. The project never materialized, but they stayed friendly and reconnected after their respective marriages ended. Giada told PEOPLE in 2018, “Once I got settled, Shane and I reconnected, and I felt like a kid again.” Farley recalled, “We would bump into each other, we would grab a drink… We were just friends and then eventually we started dating.”
He also praised her, saying, “Giada is one of the most positive people I have ever met.”
Farley later became part of Giada’s family and helped produce Giada at Home 2.0. He attended her DWTS premiere alongside her daughter, Jade. Giada competed with Alan Bersten despite breaking her toe during rehearsals. Their tango earned 16 out of 30, keeping them in the competition.
Neither Giada nor Farley publicly addressed the backstage allegations.
