Devotees of Dancing with the Stars were gifted with a surprise announcement Tuesday as ABC unveiled an additional celebrity cast member that's joining the reality series for Season 27. Spoilers ahead, here's who viewers can expect to see compete for the Mirrorball Trophy this September.
Dancing with the Stars Season 27 returns to ABC on Monday, September 24, at 8 p.m. ET.
Who's Been Cast?
A second cast member for Season 27 was unveiled Tuesday on Good Morning America (GMA), being actor Milo Manheim. Manheim, the son of actress Camryn Manheim, is known for playing Zed in the Disney Channel Original Movie, Zombies—a televised flick that allowed him to show off his dance moves. He's been partnered with Witney Carson. At 17, he's the youngest contestant to compete on the show.
"Honestly, when I first walked in...I thought having a little bit of dancing experience would help me have a little bit of rhythm," Manheim told GMA host Michael Strahan. "But once we started getting going, it was nothing like I ever imagined. It's so much more difficult than I thought it'd be. I'll be dancing with her [Carson], and I'll feel like I'm doing a really good job. I'll look back at the video, and I just look terrible!"
Before Manheim was announced, ABC revealed on September 5 The Facts of Life alum Nancy McKeon will partner with Valentin Chmerkovskiy. "He is awesome," McKeon, 52, said on Good Morning America September 5. "He is the most amazing partner. [He has] more patience than anyone I know...I'm so lucky!"
Who's Rumored to Be Cast?
While Manheim and McKeon are locked in for Season 27, rumors have surfaced about other noteworthy names that are slated to take center stage in late September. On Tuesday, Us Weekly reported actress Evanna Lynch and singer Tinahse are slated to join the long-running competition series. Tinahse, known for singles like "2 On" and her previous recurring role on Two and a Half Men, has shown off her dance abilities several times in her music videos. Lynch, on the other hand, is best known for portraying Luna Lovegood in the Harry Potter films.
Bachelor in Paradise star Joe Amabile and radio personality Bobby Bones have apparently been cast for Season 27, according to Reality Steve. "I haven't seen any DWTS spoilers, so if some outlet has already spoiled this, my apologies and I'll give them credit," Reality Steve tweeted September 3. "But Grocery Joe is on DWTS this season."
After pro-dancer Sharna Burgess tweeted about her practice sessions with her partner, Reality Steve indicated that she would be Bones' partner, tweeting September 3: "Got emailed that Sharna's DWTS partner is Bobby Bones. Those people would know better than me. Regardless, Joe is definitely on DWTS."
Other celebrity names have been associated with Dancing with the Stars Season 27. E! Online reported Tuesday Fuller House actor Juan Pablo Di Pace and comedian Nikki Glaser are readying their dance skills. ET Online suggested September 5 model Alexis Ren and Olympian Mary Lou Retton will compete for the Mirrorball Trophy. Us Weekly reported September 6 Smallville actor John Schneider, alpine skier Danelle Umstead and NFL linebacker DeMarcus Ware will join as well.
The full roster of celebrities cast members will be announced Wednesday.
Which Professional Dancers are Returning?
The celebrity contenders may not be public knowledge as of yet, but the professional dancers competing in late September were revealed in August. Fan favorites Peta Murgatroyd and Maksim Chmerkovskiy will not appear on Season 27, but here are the 13 dancers ABC recruited for the task:
- Brandon Armstrong
- Lindsay Arnold
- Alan Bersten
- Sharna Burgess
- Cheryl Burke
- Witney Carson
- Artem Chigvintsev
- Valentin Chmerkovskiy
- Sasha Farber
- Jenna Johnson
- Keo Motsepe
- Gleb Savchenko
- Emma Slater
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Dory Jackson is a New York-based entertainment journalist from Maryland. She graduated from Randolph-Macon College—in May 2016—with a focus in Communication ... Read more
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