Television February 08, 2009
'Dancing' Cast Revealed During Ads
If you set up your favorite ABC shows to record on Sunday night so you could fast-forward during commercial breaks, you may have missed the announcements of the new cast of "Dancing with the Stars"!
Singer Jewel and real-life hubby Ty Murray are set to duke it out against each other on the dance floor. Also, quick-footed cutie Julianne Hough is pairing up with her beau, country crooner Chuck Wicks, to battle their competitors. The newly engaged pro-dancers Maksim Chmerkovskiy and Karina Smirnoff will also take each other on in the dance competition.
"It's the most diverse cast we've had," Deena Katz, "Dancing's" senior Talent Producer revealed to People magazine. "The women are phenomenal and the men are such great characters."
Olympic gymnast Shawn Johnson, 17, has joined the cast as the youngest competitor ever. Pop star Belinda Carlisle (of the Go Gos), Denise Richards, former NFL star Lawrence Taylor, Lil' Kim, Steve-O, Apple founder Steve Wozniak, actors David Alan Grier, Gilles Marini and TV personality Nancy O'Dell finish out the celebrity cast.
ABC dropped the names of the 13 contestants who will battle it out for the mirror ball trophy during commercials for "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition," "Desperate Housewives," and "Brothers and Sisters."
The remaining pairings of dancers and celebrities is scheduled to be announced on Thursday, February 12. "Dancing with the Stars" premieres March 9.