Leah Remini Joins ‘Dancing With The Stars’ [Report]

Leah Remini will be joining Dancing with the Stars in season 17.

While DWTS hasn’t made an official cast announcement yet, sources confirmed to RumorFix that the former King of Queens star would be appearing in the dancing competition next season. The official reveal will take place September 4 on Good Morning America.

Remini has made headlines recently for her split from the Church of Scientology. Remini left the church after disagreements with leader David Miscavige. Remini also filed a missing person’s report for Miscavige’s wife, Shelly, who hasn’t been seen in public since 2007. The Los Angeles Police Department closed the case quickly, saying they had met with Shelly Miscavige.

Other rumored contestants include Snooki, Amber Riley, Christina Milian, John Stamos, Keyshawn Johnson, and Elizabeth Berkley. Rhoda star Valerie Harper is also rumored to be joining.

Harper was diagnosed with terminal cancer in mid-January and told she had three months to live in March. She had previously battled lung cancer in 2009, even though she was a non-smoker. She was diagnosed after an unrelated X-ray, and struggled with the decision to keep her diagnosis private.

“I thought this is just not going to be good for comedy if the audience is out there worrying about their Rhoda,” she said.

Harper has taken the diagnosis in stride, however, and said, “I’m not dying until I do.” She also said she is choosing not to look at her diagnosis as a death sentence, and is instead keeping her mind “open to infinite possibility” and miracles.

“It feels awful damn good to be open about (the illness), face it and see what you can do. If you die, you’re not a failure,” she said. “You’re just somebody who had cancer, and that’s the outcome. (You have to keep) your thoughts open to infinite possibility and keep yourself open to miracles.”

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