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‘DWTS’ 2017: Billy Bush Tops List Of 12 Celebs Joining Season 24 Cast [Rumors]

By Cheryl Phillips
Published on: 07:17 PST, Feb 8, 2017

Are you ready for the 2017 Dancing with the Stars Season 24 celebrity cast reveal? With just a few weeks to go before the new DWTS cast is introduced on Good Morning America, the names of the 12 celebrities who may be to be heading to the ABC ballroom next month is already sparking some controversy.

Former Today show host Billy Bush is just one of a dozen celebs who may be competing for the Mirrorball trophy on the upcoming season of Dancing with the Stars. According to Page Six, the TV host may be joining the cast in an effort to repair his image just four months after a 2005 recording surfaced of Donald Trump and Bush having a lewd conversation that was downplayed by the Trump as locker room banter.

Although ABC has yet to comment on any of this season’s celebrity dancers — other than the show’s EP telling Glamour that the cast is “coming together” — adding a controversial contestant to the lineup isn’t something new for the show.

Here’s the latest scoop on the celebs who are rumored to be joining the Season 24 cast as well as some information on the possibility of Billy Bush’s return to TV as a contender on ABC’s popular ballroom dance competition.

Although Vulture states that the Page Six report about Billy Bush joining DWTS is false, it’s possible that the network is keeping the whole deal under wraps until the cast reveal. If ABC does bring Billy Bush on the show as a celebrity dancer, time will tell if fans cut him some slack for his part in the Trump tapes that caused so much public outcry during the 2016 presidential race.

Joining Season 23 worked out well for Olympic medalist Ryan Lochte, who was in the midst of the Rio Olympics scandal when he was introduced as a cast member. The announcement came just one week after the U.S. swimmer told NBC’s Matt Lauer that he exaggerated his story about being held at gunpoint in Rio during the Olympic games, and one week later, Lochte was given a 10-month ban from swimming competitively. Protestors rushed Lochte on the DWTS stage early in the season, but he received an outpouring of support from the celebrities and pro dancers as well as many of the show’s fans.

Whether Bush appears on the show or not, there are 11 other celebrity names in the Dancing with the Stars rumor mill right now, with at least one pro and one of the DWTS judges dropping hints about the cast.

Here’s a list of who fans may see in the ABC ballroom on the March 20 Dancing with the Stars season premiere.

‘DWTS’ co-hosts Tom Bergeron and Erin Andrews [Image by ABC]

Is Pretty Little Liars star Ashley Benson set to join the competition? DWTS executive producer Rob Wade recently told Glamour that he’d love to have pro Mark Ballas back, and since he’s done with Jersey Boys, that could happen. Just Jared states that Ashley and Mark started following each other after meeting in New York City, prompting rumors that they might be partnered up on Season 24.

Olympic medalist Simone Biles, who is friends with Season 23 winner Laurie Hernandez, told E! News that she would love to join the cast. She’s been hanging out with some of the pros as well, perhaps a hint that we’ll see her dancing in March.

Bachelor star Nick Viall has made it clear that he’d love to go on the show, telling Entertainment Tonight that he would be “lucky to even be considered” for the gig. If he is picked, he’d follow in the footsteps of other Bachelor franchise stars, including Chris Soules, Sean Lowe, Trista Sutter, Jake Pavelka, and Melissa Rycroft.

Property Brothers star Drew Scott may hit the dance floor if he gets his way. When pro Emma Slater asked on Twitter who would like to dance on the upcoming season, Scott replied, “Of course I do.”

Emma revealed that Drew’s brother and co-star Jonathan is on her top three list, so perhaps this was a hint that both brothers will be on DWTS Season 24.

Usher may hit the dance floor if the rumors play out. Celebrity blogger Jasmine Brand states that the singer-songwriter and former Voice mentor is already taping promotional segments for the upcoming season.

Former NFL player Peyton Manning could join the cast if WetPaint’s wish list comes true, but many football fans are hoping to see one of the stars of this year’s Super Bowl on stage — perhaps a Patriots or Falcons player will show off their moves off the field.

Dancing with the Stars judge Carrie Ann Inaba tells AOL that Bruno Mars is her top pick for Season 23, but if that doesn’t pan out, she would love to see Pitbull or NeYo.

The cast reveal on Good Morning America typically takes place approximately three weeks before the premiere, so fans can expect to see the DWTS Season 24 cast announcement around the first week of March.

[Featured Image by ABC Television Network]

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