ABC has revealed the full cast of celebrity dancers and their pro partners in the "Dancing with the starts" which returns in less than two weeks for its 23rd season.
After weeks of speculation, the network confirmed that Laurie Hernandez and Olympic gold medalists Ryan Lochte will be joining the celebrity cast of the reality competition. The star-studded cast also includes former Texas governor, model-turned-talk-show-host Amber Rose and presidential candidate Rick Perry, Variety reported.
Last week, Rio police charged U.S. swimmer Lochte for filing a false robbery report over an incident that happened during the Olympics. Lochte conceded to "over-exaggerating" the story about being robbed at gunpoint. He initially claimed that together with three teammates - Jack Conger, James Feigen and Gunnar Bentz - they were robbed in a taxi by two men who had guns and badges as they were heading to the Olympic Village. But Brazilian police said the swimmers had instead damaged a gas station bathroom before getting confronted by armed security guards.
Lochte said that they are trying to get this over with. He noted that it has been dragged out way too long.
"I think it is everyone blowing this way out of proportion. I think that is what happened," he said, when asked this morning on "GMA" about the possibility of returning to Rio adding he definitely made "a very big mistake" "about that one side" of the story about a gun being held to his head.
According to ABC News, the others in the cast come from the worlds of TV, music and sports. They are actress Marilu Henner, "Brady Bunch" star Maureen McCormick, singer Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds, actor Jake T. Austin, "Little Women LA" star Terra Jolé, former Detroit Lions receiver Calvin Johnson, racecar driver James Hinchcliffe and country singer Jana Kramer.
Also, Tom Bergeron and Erin Andrews will return to host, along with Judges Len Goodman, Bruno Tonioli, Carrie Ann Inaba and Julianne Hough, who backs after a season hiatus, as Variety previously reported. Pro dancers Maksim Chmerkovskiy, Derek Hough and Cheryl Burke also return.
The new season of "Dancing With the Stars" premieres at 8 p.m. ET on Monday, Sept. 12, 2016, on ABC.
Watch a video of "Dancing With the Stars" cast here: