Not even a pandemic could stop Dancing With The Stars from returning for a 29th season. It’s unclear how the ABC reality series will maintain social distancing when its whole premise is shoving bodies together, but here’s what we do know: Longtime hosts Tom Bergeron and Erin Andrews are out, Tyra Banks is in—as are a new batch of competitors. Here are the 15 mostly recognizable faces and the pro dancers who will be hoofing it when Dancing With The Stars returns on Sept. 14.
A.V. Club Editor in Chief...but really just a She-Ra, Schitt’s Creek, Grey’s Anatomy, Survivor, Big Brother, Top Chef, The Good Place superfan.
2 / 18
According to ABC, “Carole Baskin is the founder and CEO of Big Cat Rescue, the world’s most influential, accredited rescue facility for exotic cats.” Fans of Netflix’s Tiger King also spent a lot of time earlier this year debating whether or not she killed her husband.
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The reality star competed for a man’s attention on The Bachelor in early 2015 before men competed for her attention on The Bachelorette later that year. Apparently she also has “launched Dew Edit, a stylish hair accessories line; her own line of wine, Spade & Sparrows; her own digital series; and a country-pop song, which reached No. 2 on the U.S. charts within the first 24 hours of release.”
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The former NFL tight end who played for the San Francisco 49ers, the Denver Broncos, and the Washington...whatever they’re going to be called now.
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The Emmy-winning actress currently stars in the thriller The Vanished opposite Thomas Jane. And, in a move that definitely raised her profile, she recently weighed in on the controversy surrounding her ex Ellen DeGeneres.
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The 18-year-old starred as Zuri Ross on Jessie and the spinoff series BUNK’D as well as, apparently, 272 other Disney Channel series. She also may make you want a panini.
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The nationally celebrated cheerleading coach became an star earlier this year after starring in the hit Netflix docuseries Cheer.
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The former Six Feet Under star currently stars on One Day At A Time, which—after being dropped by Netflix and airing on PopTV—is getting some time in the sun on CBS this fall.
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The Hello Hunnay podcast host and The Real co-host also currently makes golf puns on ABC’s Holey Moley.
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This boybander has spent 27 years as a member of the Backstreet Boys. Ryan Gosling can’t say the same.
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The former Dallas star took his shirt off on Desperate Housewives once or twice.
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Often referred to by the badass nickname “The Enforcer,” NBA star Charles Oakley played for the Chicago Bulls, New York Knicks, Toronto Raptors, Washington Wizards, and Houston Rockets. He is now a player and coach for the Killer 3s in the NBA Big3 Basketball League.
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After his 2010 documentary film Catfish, Nev Schulman began hosting MTV’s Catfish: The TV Show. Who wants to bet that he does a routine where his partner is switched out on him halfway through the dance?
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The Daytime Emmy-nominated actress has appeared on the Daytime TV Trifecta: All My Children, The Young and the Restless, and Days of Our Lives. She can currently be seen getting into real estate on Netflix’s Selling Sunset.
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When he’s not figure skating, the two-time Olympian is hosting things with Tara Lipinski. And wearing crowns, it would seem.
16 / 18
It’s Nelly. You know who he is.
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The pairings for season 29 have yet to be announced, but these are the pro dancers who will somehow be social distance dancing.
Brandon Armstrong
Alan Bersten
Sharna Burgess
Cheryl Burke
Artem Chigvintsev
Val Chmerkovskiy
Sasha Farber
Jenna Johnson
Daniella Karagach
Keo Motsepe
Peta Murgatroyd
Pasha Pashkov
Gleb Savchenko
Emma Slater
Britt Stewart
Dancing With The Stars premieres Sept. 14 at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.
