A whole new set of celebrities are going to be doing the cha cha slide into the ballroom on Dancing with the Stars! The celebrity cast of season 29 has been announced, and it features a Backstreet Boy, an Olympic figure skater and a soap star.
Anne Heche, Backstreet Boys member AJ McLean, Tiger King's Carole Baskin, American figure skater and television commentator Johnny Weir, rapper Nelly, Selling Sunset's Chrishell Stause and One Day at a Time actress Justina Machado will all compete in the upcoming season, which premieres Sept. 14 on ABC. They join new host and executive producer Tyra Banks.
Actress Skai Jackson, 18, is the season's youngest contestant. She will be joined by The Real host Jeannie Mai, Catfish host Nev Schulman, American basketball player Charles Oakley, former NFL player Vernon Davis, Netflix's Cheer head coach Monica Aldama and former Desperate Housewives actor Jesse Metcalfe.
Former Bachelorette Kaitlyn Bristowe had previously been confirmed to be part of the season 29 line-up.
"I’m a Scorpio. I feel like I can do anything, so this is gonna be my biggest test yet, but I’m up for it," Nelly said, laughing. "I love competition, and I think this is one that will set me apart from others if I can pull this one off, only because I got two left feet, and probably two right ankles, so I’m trying to see where we can go with this thing."
"I can't wait to show you what I can bring to the ballroom," Johnny said in a video posted on Twitter. "And I hope I can count on your votes."
"Actually," he said pausing, "That is more of a demand. But, I promise to work and wiggle and shake my booty off for you!"
MORE: Tyra Banks set to be next host and executive producer of 'Dancing with the Stars'
The professional dancers on season 29 are: Cheryl Burke, Peta Murgatroyd, Artem Chigvintsev, Sharna Burgess, Val Chmerkovskiy, Keo Motsepe , Jenna Johnson, Emma Slater, Brandon Armstrong, Sasha Farber, Pasha Pashkov, Gleb Savchenko and reigning champ Alan Bersten.
However, fans will have to wait until the DWTS premiere to find out which celebrities are paired with which pros!
As mentioned earlier, season 29 of Dancing With the Stars will bring a number of changes, apart from the new cast and COVID-19 considerations.
Tyra, 46, was revealed to be replacing longtime co-hosts Tom Bergeron and Erin Andrews earlier this year.
"I've been a fan of 'DWTS since its beginning... The fun mixed with raw emotion, seeing celebrities push past their comfort zones, the sizzling dance performances... it's always transported me to my days of turning it up 10 notches on the catwalk," Tyra said in a statement at the time of the announcement. "Tom has set a powerful stage, and I'm excited to continue the legacy and put on my executive producer and hosting hats."
In this challenging time, it’s really hard to be separated from family and friends. It’s also a time when everyone needs a beautiful escape. Here at Hello! Canada, we’re still busy creating the magazine you know and love, to spread positivity and provide some entertainment as a gentle reprieve from all the hard news. And with our new special offer for subscribers, there’s never been a better time to have Hello! delivered directly to your front door. Why not treat yourself, or someone you love, today?
