NEWSBanks Backlash: Stars Don't Want To Dance With Tyra
Tyra Banks - the new host and executive producer of Dancing With The Stars - is having a much harder time than she thought trying to get A-Listers to put on their dancing shoes and join her in the ABC ballroom, OK! has learned.
The dancing competition is usually packed with several celebrities, but with the premiere date less than a month away, the only non-professional dancer that has been announced is former ‘Bachelorette’ Kaitlyn Bristowe.
TYRA BANKS ADMITS PRESSURE OVER HOSTING SEASON 29 OF 'DANCING WITH STARS'
“Part of the reason Tyra was hired was because it was assumed that she would be able to bring in big named stars to the competition. The show has always struggled to get top celebrities into the ballroom, with Kim Kardashian possibly being the biggest name to ever dance. Tyra implied she could call all her famous friends and get them to join the show, but so far it is not happening,” sources told the Naughty But Nice podcast with Rob Shuter on iHeart.
While season 29's professional dancers have been announced (which includes Pasha Pashkov and Sasha Farber), fans will have to wait until the first episode airs to see which celebrities will feature on the show.
Professional dancer Britt Stewart has also been included, making her the show's first-ever black female pro dancer. South African dancer Keo Motsepe was the first black professional dancer in DWTS.
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TYRA BANKS LOOKING TO SETTLE OLD SCORES AS DWTS EXECUTIVE PRODUCER
“Where is Naomi Campbell and Heidi Klum and all Tyra’s fashion friends? Tyra thought having her name attached to the show would suddenly make it cool and hip and that all the young stars would want to be part of it. Think again, if anything, so far this season is shaping up to be less impressive talent-wise stars than the Kate Gosselin’s and Bristol Palin’s seasons!”
Banks recently managed to expand her television offerings, by signing a first-look deal with Disney Television Studios’ ABC Signature. This will allow her to produce scripted programming with ABC Signature and unscripted content with ABC Entertainment.
“Ever since I was a little girl growing up in Inglewood, California, I’ve been enamored by the magic of Disney. Joining the family at ABC feels like a homecoming of sorts,” Banks said of the deal.
