Dancing with the Stars only airs once a year these days, but ABC is already having preliminary talks about which celebrities they’d like to sign for the show when it returns in fall 2020.
According to Variety, the network has its eye on four celebrities:
- Charlie Sheen – The controversial actor recently revealed that he had been given a firm offer to join the last season of DWTS, but turned it down. He turned down the opportunity to participate in season 28 because e was too afraid to dance. But reportedly, producers are continuing to pursue him. “We’ve met with Charlie Sheen,” said Rob Mills, ABC Entertainment’s senior VP of alternative series, specials and late-night programming, confirms to Variety. “I don’t think it’s a huge secret because he came out and talked about it, but I would still love Charlie Sheen to come on.” Mills said of Sheen: “I found him to be one of the nicest, most charming people. He is just a born entertainer and I think people would love to see him, but it may not be for him. What I really found very sweet about him is he basically said, ‘I really don’t dance. I’ve got two left feet.’ So there’s a real sweetness and vulnerability, which would be really fun to showcase on the show.”
- Ryan Shazier – ABC is also wooing NFL player Ryan Shazier, who was nearly paralyzed after enduring a serious spine injury during a game in 2017. ABC became interested after a video of the former Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker dancing at his wedding this year went viral. “Two years ago, he was hit on a Monday Night Football game and doctors feared he was paralyzed, and he has learned to walk again. Those are those great stories that are really what Dancing With the Stars is all about — here’s somebody who has overcome something, and when you do that, you dance,” Mills says of Shazier. “He would be great.”
- Christie Brinkley – Christie joined the cast last fall, but after breaking her wrist during a rehearsal close to the premier, the former model had to drop out at the last minute. Brinkley’s daughter, Sailor Brinkley-Cook took her place for the rest of the season. Mills reveals that the network is “absolutely talking about” bringing Brinkley back for another try. Them brittle bones though! Using her hand to break a fall resulted in destroying her wrist. Osteoporosis is definitely a thing in women over 70, y’all.
- The Queer Eye Cast – Mills teases, “Karamo was so wonderful this year that one of the other ‘Queer Eye’ guys would be great.”
- Have We Not Learned a Thing? – Former White House press secretary Sean Spicer’s addition to last fall’s cast drew intense backlash, even from DWTS host, Tom Bergeron. Will Mills think twice about casting political figures, particularly in these divisive times? Naw! “I think you never say never to anything,” Mills responds when asked about the possibility of casting another political lightning rod. “We would never say never to someone in politics. We would look at anything, potentially, if it were good for the show.” Mills goes on to play dumb about the Spicer backlash. He’s shocked SHOCKED that anybody even CARED about Spicey at this point! “At the end of the day, we’re talking about a ballroom dancing competition — we weren’t asking Sean Spicer to lead a debate or do anything political — but you have to look at the reaction and we saw what people said,” he adds. “I was frankly stunned that people still cared that much about Sean Spicer. I mean, gosh, he had been out of the public eye for about a year. But clearly I was wrong.” Dude. You were basically helping to rehabilitate a congenital liar. But you keep doing you Rob! Maybe you need another sit down with Tom.
