It’s official, embattled Olympic swimmer Ryan Lochte is headed to the “Dancing with the Stars” ballroom when the hit ABC series kicks off its 23rd season Sept. 12.
The swimmer was signed to the show prior to the scandal in Brazil in which he fabricated a story about being robbed at gunpoint along with three teammates.
‘I’m not one to make excuses, but I was still intoxicated,” said the swimmer who has been officially charged by Brazilian authorities with lying to police, during an interview today on “Good Morning America,” when asked why he lied about the incident. “The thing I said that wasn’t true was having the gun cocked to my forehead,” he admitted. “I just want to put this behind me and move forward. There’s bigger issues this world [has to deal with].”
Lochte also said he has offered teammate Jimmy Feigen reimbursement for the $11,000 Feigen paid to a Brazilian charity to avoid prosecution for the incident.
“I’m human. I made a mistake,” said Lochte, who is still dealing legally with the incident. “Everyone’s gotta be sick and tired of hearing about this. I know I am.” Lochte will partner with two-time mirror ball pro dancer Cheryl Burke, who makes her return to the series after several seasons’ hiatus.
Maureen McCormick, pictured in Beverly Hills, Calif., in 2013. (Photo by Jason Kempin/Getty Images)
Fans of “Marcia, Marcia, Marcia,” as in “Marcia Brady,” should be overjoyed to learn that Maureen McCormick, who portrayed the eldest daughter on the hit classic TV series “The Brady Bunch,” is also headed to the ballroom for the new season. She will partner with pro dancer Artem Chigvintsev.
McCormick’s “Brady Bunch” mom, Florence Henderson, competed on “DWTS” in 2010.
On the professional roster side of things, the season also marks the return of six-time champ Derek Hough, following the delay of the Broadway musical “Singin’ in the Rain” in which he was set to star this fall.
Other celebrity contestants will include:
Laurie Hernandez (Olympic gold medal gymnast) partnered with Val Chmerkovskiy
Amber Rose arrives for the 2016 MTV Video Music Awards August 28, 2016 at Madison Square Garden in New York. / AFP PHOTO / Angela Weiss/Getty Images
Amber Rose (actress/model/singer) partnered with Maks Chmerkovskiy
Calvin Johnson (former Detroit Lions wide receiver) partnered with Lindsay Arnold
Vanilla Ice (the rapper whose real name is Robert Matthew Van Winkle) partnered with Witney Carson
U.S. Olympic gymnast Laurie Hernandez arrives at the MTV Video Music Awards at Madison Square Garden on Sunday, Aug. 28, 2016, in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP
Terra Jole (“Little Women: L.A.”) partnered with Sasha Farber
Rick Perry (longtime Texas governor and one-time presidential Republican candidate hopeful; fellow Texan Tom DeLay, the former U.S. Congressman competed in season 9 of the show) partnered with Emma Slater
Former Texas Governor Rick Perry speaks to guests at the Iowa Freedom Summit on January 24, 2015 in Des Moines, Iowa. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images)
Marilu Henner (veteran television actress, “Taxi”) partnered with Derek Hough
Jake T. Austin (actor “The Fosters”) partnered with Jenna Johnson
Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds (singer-producer) partnered with Allison Holker
Kenny “Babyface” Edmonds performs on March 20, 2016 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Mychal Watts/Getty Images for Jazz in the Gardens)
James Hinchcliffe (Indy car racer) will partner with Sharna Burgess
Jana Kramer (actress, “One Tree Hill,” country music singer) will partner with Gleb Savchenko
Tom Bergeron and Erin Andrews will return as co-hosts of the show.
Actress Terra Jole (pictured in 2009) in New York City. (Photo by Michael Loccisano/Getty Images
