Cassandra Thorburn struggles during Dancing With The Stars debut

Cassandra Thorburn had all the support on social media but not so from the Dancing With The Stars judges who placed her at the bottom of the leaderboard on her ballroom debut.

• Cass speaks out: ‘I was never Mrs Stefanovic’
• Radio host sprays ‘nightmare' Cass

Former journalist and mother-of-three Cassandra Thorburn claimed to be her own woman, but her TV resurgence was all about her ex-husband Karl Stefanovic.

The lady in red, Thorburn made her Dancing With The Stars debut, stealing the first episode of the revamped reality show in a figure hugging sequined gown.

She described herself as a ‘human headline’ — referencing the coverage she received following her split from Stefanovic, who had an unprecedented fall from grace in 2018.

Cassandra Thorburn made her Dancing With The Stars debut with partner Marco De Angelis. Picture: Channel 10

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While the hosts, Amanda Keller and Grant Denyer, mentioned her ex-husband more than once, the contestant didn’t use his name.

Introducing Thorburn for the first time, Keller seemed sympathetic to the novice performer, as she stepped onto the dance floor for the first time.

Getting ready pre-show …

Dancing with The Stars hosts Amanda Keller and Grant Denyer. Picture: Supplied

“Cassandra Thorburn knows all about pressure. Her divorce from Karl Stefanovic last year resulted in months of intense media scrutiny,” Keller said.

The host said joining the show was a move to make a name for herself in her own right.

While receiving intense criticism from the judges, who gave her 10 out of 30, placing her at the bottom of the leaderboard, social media would suggest she will receive positive support from the voting public.

Thorburn is competing against a string of A Listers including fitness guru Michelle Bridges, drag queen Courtney Act and actor Samuel Johnson.

The first hit out of the newlook Dancing With The Stars was no match for Nine’s Married At First Sight juggernaut.

Despite an enormous amount of publicity and much hype from Ten, the show struggled to garner half the viewers of MAFS.

Dancing With The Stars registered a national five city metro audience of 621,000 viewers, making it the 12th most watched program of the day. By comparison, MAFS was the most watched program with a five city metro audience of 1.2 million people.