Star-studded dance competition, Dancing With the Stars, returns April 30 for a season unlike any before.
The show’s 26th season will include only athletes as the contestants, and from past seasons it has been known athletes usually go far in the race for the mirror ball trophy. Hopefully, this makes the season filled with lots of competition that audiences won’t want to miss.
In an article by US Weekly, some of the cast was recently revealed. Participants announced so far are Olympians Jamie Anderson and Adam Rippon and former figure skater Tonya Harding.
Harding has been in the spotlight recently because of Margot Robbie’s portrayal of her in the film, I, Tonya. The film centers around Harding’s upbringing and her eventual downfall because of her supposed involvement with the assault against rivaling skater Nancy Kerrigan. Ironically, Kerrigan was a contestant on the show in season 24 but was eliminated before the final five.
Both Rippon and Anderson brought back medals from the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea. Rippon won a bronze medal in the team figure skating contest, while Anderson, a snowboarder, won a gold in the women’s slopestyle and a silver in the big air competitions.
With a cast that’s already filled with people who are good at winning things, it’s sure to be a season of close competition. The last athlete to win the mirror ball trophy was former NFL running back Rashad Jennings in season 24. Jennings was partnered with professional dancer Emma Slater.
If any past seasons have given clues to the new cast, it’s almost certain there will be some former NFL stars, basketball players and maybe even some more Olympians. No matter the cast it’ll definitely be a season unlike any before.
Dancing With the Stars premieres April 30 at 8 p.m. on ABC.
