‘Dancing With the Stars’ Season 21: Full Celebrity Cast Announced
“Dancing With the Stars” is getting ready to twirl into its 21st season with a new cast of celebrity contestants, which was revealed Wednesday morning on “Good Morning America.”
“Real Housewives of Atlanta’s” Kim Zolciak-Biermann, “Braxton Family Values” star Tamar Braxton and Afghanistan veteran Alek Skarlatos were the three newly-announced cast members, while celebrity chef Paula Deen’s casting was confirmed. Skarlatos was one of the U.S. servicemen who recently helped stop a gunman on a Paris-bound train.
“This is the first time in a few years that I’ve felt like my weight would allow me to participate,” Deen said. “What I hope I’m going to get out of this is a bunch of new friends and maybe lose some weight and a little better body.”
Previously announced, Backstreet Boys’ Nick Carter, “Crocodile Hunter” daughter Bindi Irwin and Triple Crown-winning jockey Victor Espinoza will hit the dance floor in the upcoming season to compete for the Mirror Ball trophy this fall.
Here’s the full rundown of the “DWTS” season 21 celebrities and their pro partners:
Alek Skarlatos with Lindsay Arnold
“Spy Kids” actress Alexa PenaVega with Mark Ballas
“Honey I’m Good” singer Andy Grammer with Allison Holker
Bindi Irwin with Derek Hough
Big Time Rush singer Carlos PenaVega with Witney Carson
Legendary songstress Chaka Khan with Keo Motsepe
Actor Gary Busey with Anna Trebunskaya
Social media savant Hayes Grier with Emma Slater
Kim Zolciak-Biermann with Tony Dovolani
Nick Carter with Sharna Burgess
Paula Deen with Louis van Amstel
Tamar Braxton with Val Chmerkovskiy
Victor Espinoza with Karina Smirnoff
See More: Len Goodman Leaving ‘Dancing With the Stars’
As for the judges’ panel, Bruno Tonioli, Carrie Ann Inaba and Julianne Hough will be back, along with guest judges who will be featured in select episodes. Len Goodman will not be a judge on season 21, though may appear in some capacity throughout the season.
Actress Rumer Willis and her pro partner, Val Chmerkovskiy, won the show’s season 20.
“Dancing With the Stars” premieres Sept. 14 on ABC.
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