ABC(NEW YORK) — Ryan Lochte’s road to rehabilitating his post-Olympic image begins on Dancing with the Stars. The 32-year-old gold medal-winning swimmer has joined the season 23 cast of the ABC dance competition. The official announcement came Tuesday morning on ABC’s Good Morning America, following a sit-down with Amy Robach about Lochte’s Rio controversy.
“I want to move forward,” the swimmer said of the intoxicated incident he had exaggerated as a gunpoint robbery — for which he again apologized. “I want the whole world to move forward…Everyone’s gotta be sick and tired of hearing about this…I just want to move forward and…”
“…And put on your dancing shoes,” Robach laughed.
Lochte won’t be the only Olympian on the dance floor. Gold medal-winning gymnast Laurie Hernandez is also joining the cast.
Former pros Derek Hough and Cheryl Burke are returning this season, with Burke teaming with Lochte. It was previously announced that Maksim Chmerkovskiy also would be returning after taking some time off.
Here’s the competitor rundown, with the full list of pro partners to come:
Laurie Hernandez, Olympic gymnast, with pro partner Val Chmerkovskiy
Ryan Lochte, Olympic swimmer, with Cheryl Burke
Maureen McCormick, former Brady Bunch star, with Artem Chigvintsev
Amber Rose, model, with Maksim Chmerkovskiy
Terra Jolé, actress, with Sasha Farber
Marilu Henner, actress, with Derek Hough
Rick Perry, former Texas governor, with Emma Slater
Jake T. Austin, actor, with Jenna Johnson
Calvin Johnson, NFL standout, with Lindsay Arnold
Kenny “Babyface” Edmonds, singer, with Allison Holker
Vanilla Ice, former rapper, with Witney Carson
James Hinchcliffe, pro IndyCar driver, with Sharna Burgess
Jana Kramer, country star and actress, with Gleb Savchenko
Dancing with the Stars returns Monday, September 12 with a two-hour live premiere at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.
