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The official contestants of Dancing with the Stars season 27 have not yet been revealed, but cast rumors and reports have started to leak. Plus, the pros and judges have already been confirmed.
Last season, pro Jenna Johnson became the mirrorball champion with ice skater Adam Rippon and since the show ended, Johnson got engaged to fellow pro Val Chmerkovskiy. Both pros are returning for the new season, along with many other familiar faces, according to ABC News. The pros you may recognize include Keo Motsepe, Sasha Farber, Emma Slater, Lindsay Arnold, Gleb Savchenko, Sharna Burgess, Artem Chigvintsev, Alan Bersten, Witney Carson and Cheryl Burke. There is also a new pro dancer in the mix this season – Brandon Armstrong.
When it comes to the contestant rumors, Hollywood Life has reported that the show is hoping to snag Omarosa Manigault-Newman to join in on the ballroom fun. According to a source, “Omarosa is the one person they want next season more than anyone else. They have already reached out and are hoping to make a deal with her to join the show for this upcoming season. It’s not official, but the offer is 100% there for her to join.” On September 5, 2018, Nancy McKeon from The Facts of Life was reported as a contestant and she is paired with Val Chmerkovskiy, according to ABC.
Hollywood Life has also reported that some of the other celebrities asked to join this season include Brie Bella, Mama June, Scottie Pippen, Tori Spelling, Jonathan Scott and Becca Kufrin. Brie Bella would be a good pick because her sister, Nikki Bella, did well when paired with Chigvintsev on a previous season. Mama June would be a fun choice, especially since her daughter, Honey Boo Boo has reportedly signed on for Dancing With the Stars Juniors.
While Hollywood Life has said that former Bachelorette Kufrin may be a contender, Life & Style has reported that Kufrin’s runner-up, Blake Horstmann, could be a contender on the show as well. If Horstmann or Kufrin signed on, they wouldn’t be the first people from the Bachelor franchise to compete on DWTS. Melissa Rycroft, Nick Viall and Jake Pavelka all made a try for the mirrorball trophy on the show.
Dancing With the Stars is set to premiere on Monday, September 24, 2018 on the ABC network. And, when it comes to the hosts and judges, all of them are returning. Co-hosts Tom Bergeron and Erin Andrews are back, along with judges, Len Goodman, Bruno Tonioli and Carrie Ann Inaba, as reported by ABC. Guest judges, of any kind, have not been announced.
Dancing With the Stars Junior will premiere on Sunday, October 7, 2018. Former DWTS fan-favorite contestants Frankie Muniz and Jordan Fisher are set to co-host the junior version of the show and Muniz gushed to Entertainment Tonight that, “I was so excited because I had such an amazing time on Dancing With the Stars. So, to be able to stay in the family and get to experience it from a different perspective and get to host the new show, like, I was thrilled.”
Rounding out the DWTSJ judging panel is DWTS pro Val Chmerkovskiy, choreographer Mandy Moore, along with former mirrorball champion and Olympian Adam Rippon, according to Good Housekeeping. For DWTSJ, your favorite DWTS pros will be mentoring a cast of junior pros, who will be paired with celebrity contestants. The Dancing With the Stars mentors and their junior pro pairings are:
Alan Bersten and JT Church
Brandon Armstrong and Artyon Celestine
Artem Chigvinstev and Tristan Ianiero
Jenna Johnson and Hailey Bills, who is Johnson’s niece
Hayley Erbert and Kameron Couch
Gleb Savchenko and Sage Rosen
Sasha Farber and Jake Monreal
Emma Slater and Elliana Walmsley
Keo Motsepe and Lev Khmelev
Cheryl Burke and Brightyn Brems
Witney Carson and Kamri Peterson
Lindsay Arnold and Rylee Arnold, who is Lindsay’s little sister
So, the entire cast of mentors, with the exception of Hayley Erbert, will be pulling double duty as cast members on both DWTS season 27 and the new junior edition of the show. Erbert, who is often a member of the dance troupe on DWTS, is also dating Derek Hough. She most likely will be involved in the dance troupe once again on the show.
The confirmed casts of DWTS and DWTSJ will be announced in September, with the DWTS cast members being revealed on GMA on September 12, 2018.
