ABC will be announcing the celebrity cast of "Dancing with the Stars" on March 4, but that hasn't stopped fans from speculating who all will join the dancing reality show as it enters its 18th season.
When season 17 ended last fall, "Glee" star Amber Riley and her partner Derek Hough were crowned winners. Since then, the show's producers have been tweaking the format of the dancing show it in a bid to increase its plummeting ratings.
Reportedly, firing its long-time host Brooke Burke-Charvet and band director Harold Wheeler and his 28-member orchestra were part of this process.
And now, with the first episode of the 18th season set to air on March 17, rumors are afloat on who all will leave their comfort zones to try their hand professional dancing.
Former Rangers star Sean Avery is said to be one such person. Avery, who has been preparing for the show with celebrity trainer Tracy Anderson, even posted online a video of him shaking a leg to Katy Perry's "Dark Horse," thereby dropping a hint of his participation on the show, Page Six reported.
The video has since been deleted.
Besides Avery, other athletes including Tim Tebow and Ray Lewis are also expected to take part in the show.
Candace Cameron Bure, who played D.J. Tanner on the long-running family series, "Full House," is another rumoured contestant, according to entertainment correspondent Kristyn Burtt.
"One celeb #DWTS confirmation before I switch to full #Oscars mode...Candace Cameron Bure IN. No word on pro partner," Burtt tweeted on March 2.
If buzz surrounding the show is to be believed, other contestants include "Real Housewives of Atlanta" star NeNe Leakes Olympic gold medalists Meryl Davis and Charlie White.
"The Bachelor" contestant Juan Pablo was also a popular contestant to feature on "Dancing with the Stars," but the network decided against the former football player following his anti-gay remarks on the dating reality show.
"He's just too risky," a source connected to the show told E!Online. "There's too much negativity at this point."
ABC has not yet responded to these rumors.
Pablo landed in controversy after saying that a homosexual version of "The Bachelor" or "The Bachelorette" might not be appropriate for children.
"There's this thing about gay people, that it seems to me, and I don't know if I'm mistaken or not, you know I have a lot of friends and that, they're more pervert in a sense," he said in January, according to The TV Page.
"To me the show would be too strong, too hard to watch on TV."
Although Pablo issued an apology later, he has been at the receiving end of a lot of backlash since his anti-gay comments.
ABC, which airs "The Bachelor," too blasted the footballer stating that Pablo's comments were careless, thoughtless and insensitive.
