'Dancing With the Stars' 2015: Season 20 Celebrity Cast Announced
— -- "Dancing With the Stars" fans, wait no more. The season 20 star-studded celebrity cast was revealed today on "Good Morning America" and the competition is shaping up to be one of the fiercest yet.
Television icon Suzanne Somers, music great Patti LaBelle, football star Michael Sam and Olympian Nastia Liukin are among the stars getting ready to rhumba and samba on the dance floor.
Nastia Liukin, an Olympic champion gymnast, is paired up with none other than beloved pro dancer Derek Hough, who is back this season in a shocking surprise. Hough, a five-time mirror ball champ and Emmy-winning choreographer, previously announced his "DWTS" departure to perform in the Radio City Spring Spectacular.
"This all happened literally two days ago," Hough said live on "GMA" from New York where he will practice with Liukin. "I had a little heartbreak not being able to a part of the 10th anniversary, the 20th season. It's such a huge milestone for ‘Dancing With the Stars.’ It’s my family, so I wanted to be a part of it. ... I’m so glad we made it happen. Let’s make it the best season ever."
"Shark Tank" mogul Robert Herjavec, “Hunger Games” actress Willow Shields, artist-actress Rumer Willis, “Party Rock Anthem” singer Redfoo and R5 singer-songwriter Riker Lynch will also be vying for the trophy this season.
FULL LIST: Season 20 Pro Dancers Announced
PHOTOS: Get to Know the Season 20 'Dancing' Pros!
'Dancing With the Stars' 2014: Alfonso Ribeiro Wins in Season 19 Finals
One star name fans may not know yet is U.S. Army veteran Noah Galloway. The Iraq War veteran lost his left arm above the elbow and left leg above the knee in an IED attack and will bring his inspirational story of overcoming all the odds to the ballroom.
Another fresh face is Charlotte McKinney, the model who shot to fame in a racy Super Bowl ad for Carl’s Jr., and will give it a whirl in the ballroom.
Co-hosts Tom Bergeron and Erin Andrews announced 11 celebrities who will be vying for the mirror ball trophy today on "Good Morning America" live from Los Angeles.
Another celebrity competitor will be named before the March 16th premiere and will be dancing with pro Whitney Carson, who won season 19 with her actor Alfonso Ribeiro.
The "Fresh Prince of Bel Air" star and reigning champ surprised the celebrity cast for the "GMA" announcement and shared his advice.
"The one thing I would say to everybody is simply that it is a marathon, not a sprint," Ribeiro said. "It's not about winning week one, it's about winning that final week. You've got to take it slow, pace yourself. Go hard, learn everything, and be the best you can be and give it 100 percent, but pace yourself."
See Photos and Learn More About the Season 20 Celebrity Cast!
The 10th anniversary season is being billed as the biggest ever. Producers will bring back Disney and Latin theme nights and introduce a new Spring Break special night. Another new element is the addition of all-access cameras in the rehearsal studios, which will be made available on a live stream.The mirrorball trophy has also gotten a makeover, changing from the traditional silver to gold for the anniversary season.
See the list of season 20 celebrities and their pro partners below:
Noah Galloway with Sharna Burgess
Robert Herjavec with Kym Johnson
Patti LaBelle with Artem Chigvintsev
Nastia Liukin with Derek Hough
Riker Lynch with Allison Holker
Charlotte McKinney with Keo Motsepe
RedFoo with Emma Slater
Michael Sam with Peta Murgatroyd
Willow Shields with Mark Ballas
Suzanne Somers with Tony Dovolani
Rumer Willis with Valentin Chmerkovskiy
Which celebrity are you most excited to see hit the dance floor this season? Tell us what you think in the comments and watch the season premiere of "Dancing with the Stars" March 16 on ABC.
WATCH: 'Dancing With the Stars' Pros Val Chmerkovskiy's Audition Tape
PHOTOS: 'DWTS' Pros as Kids: Can You Guess the 'Dancing' Pro?
Watch the season 20 premiere of "Dancing With the Stars" on Monday, March 16, at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.
