‘Dancing with the Stars’ 2013: New cast to be revealed on ‘GMA’ on Feb. 26

In 2013, season 16 of “Dancing with the Stars” premieres on March 18, but in the meantime, the new cast of stars and dance pros must still be revealed. On Feb. 11, Donald Driver appeared on “Good Morning America” and informed viewers that the new slate of celebrities would be revealed on Tuesday, Feb. 26 on “GMA.” Robin Roberts, a huge fan of the show, will make the highly anticipated announcement.

The newly retired NFL player took home the mirror ball trophy in 2012 when he competed with partner Peta Murgatroyd. Their show-stopping freestyle wowed the crowd and the dancing duo edged out William Levy and Katherine Jenkins. When it came time to reveal the winner, the mirror ball had Driver’s name on it. Bruno Tonioli said that Donald “peaked at the right time.”

Donald Driver wins DWTSDonald Driver wins DWTS

Last season, Melissa Rycroft won, defeating Kelly Monaco and Shawn Johnson in the all-star finals. The season didn’t command huge ratings because fans love to watch the process of learning to dance from start to finish. So, season 16 returns to the traditional format in 2013.

So, who will be lacing up their dancing shoes when “DWTS” returns on March 18? Rumors have been running rampant. Names being mentioned include William Shatner, Dina Lohan, UFC champ Tito Ortiz, Emily Maynard from “The Bachelor” and “The Bachelorette,” Kyle Richards from “The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills,” “Small Wonder” star Jerry Suprian, and Shannon Bex from “Fame.” The pros are always the last to find out if they’ll be dancing. Once the celebrities are set, the producers carefully match them up with the right pros. Since the cast announcement is set for Feb. 26, the pros will likely find out their fates around the 22nd, giving them enough time to meet their partners and fly to NYC for the big “GMA” reveal. If recent rumors are true, Derek Hough will not return this season.

The new 2013 season of “Dancing with the Stars” begins on Monday, March 18. A second round of competition continues on Monday, March 25, to be followed by the first results show of the season on Tuesday, March 26.

Note from the Editor: Be sure to check back here on Wednesday, Feb. 13 for my exclusive Examiner.com interview with Cheryl Burke. I’ll ask the professional dance pro about what she’s been up to in the off-season, her favorite moments on “DWTS” and some of her favorite partners. My interview is set for Tuesday and the Examiner.com article will be published on Wednesday, Feb. 13.

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