'Dancing With the Stars' Season 19 Cast & Rumors: Athletes to Rule the Dance Floor?
Men and women from the world of sports might find themselves battling it out on another platform soon. The hardiest of beings could see action on the dance floor, TMZ reported, explaining that pro athletes and an Olympian could sign up for some Ballroom 101.
Basing on a list of celebrities the producers want to see on board for the show's 19th season, the report name-dropped ex-UFC fighter Randy Couture, "American Ninja Warrior" contestant Kacy Catanzaro and Olympic track star Lolo Jones.
The report said the latest "Bachelorette" Andi Dorfman, Antonio Sabato Jr. and a female YouTube sensation are also pursued, in what could be the show's strategy to add fresh, young viewers to its aging following. The Youtube star will be a first for the show if it is greenlighted.
The rumors are spilling out a week before the Sept. 4 announcements, Hidden Remote said. The series of revelations began with the announcement that Sabato, the General Hospital star and Calvin Klein model, could join in. Read the report on E! News.
Celebrity Dirty Laundry reminded fans that the names that are surfacing may or may not take part in the show whose prize includes the now iconic mirror ball trophy, but agrees that the show has ramped up efforts to appeal to a younger demographic, especially given the YouTube tactic.
What we can be sure of is the roster of pro dancers that will come up with the weekly routines, E! News said. You've got the decorated Derek Hough, Mark Ballas, Cheryl Burke, Valentin Chmerkovskiy in the list. Karina Smirnoff, Tony Dovolani also return, E! News said.
Emma Slater, Peta Murgatroyd, Witney Carson and Tony Dovoloni also return, while Artem Chigvinstev, Allison Holker, Keoikantse Mostepe join in, it added.
Sharna Burgess, Henry Byalikov, Tristan MacManus and Tyne Stecklein were left out of the pro dancers' lineup, The Celebrity Cafe said, per E! Online.
Julianne Hough, a former professional partner for several years, will have to judge her brother weekly as she assists mainstays Len Goodman, Carrie Ann Inaba and Bruno Tonioli, Reality TV World said.
"I'm so excited to be back... I've always aspired to be an all-around entertainer, whether I'm acting, dancing or singing, and I'm thrilled for this opportunity that will allow me to continue all of those pursuits," Hough said in a statement, quoted in another E! News report.
According to TMZ, the full cast will be announced in Sept. 4 on "Good Morning America." Some stars are already negotiating their contracts but the roster is still missing a TV or movie star, it noted.
Meanwhile, Celebrity Dirty Laundry said that with that many iterations of the show, it could be losing its magic. It hopes the attempts to stay hip would succeed. The season will on Monday, Sept. 15 at 8PM ET/PT. Catch it on ABC.