By Lauren Sher
Good Morning America
"Dancing With The Stars" returns for its 18th season and the new crop of celebrity competitors may be the fiercest yet.
Fresh off their gold-medal win at the Sochi Olympics, Meryl Davis and Charlie White, the dynamic ice dancing duo, headline the all-star lineup, along with "The Wonder Years" star Danica McKellar, comedian turned game show host Drew Carey, swimming legend Diana Nyad, and acting great Billy Dee Williams.
Former "Full House" actress Candace Cameron Bure, "Real Housewives" reality star NeNe Leakes, Australian pop singer Cody Simpson, and "Big Time Rush" actor-singer James Maslow are among the other celebs with their eyes set on the prized mirrorball trophy.
In two "Dancing" firsts, double-amputee snowboarding champ Amy Purdy, who lost both of her legs as a teenager and pushed to become a world-champion adaptive snowboarder, will be the first Paralympian to compete. Sean Avery is the first former hockey player in "Dancing" history.
The hit ABC show is shaking things up, from the replacement of host Brooke Burke-Charvet with sports host Erin Andrews, to the announcement of an unprecedented format in which viewers can vote to switch celebrities and their pro partners mid-season.
The entire celebrity cast was announced live today on "Good Morning America" from Glendale, Calif., ahead of the March 17 premiere.
Click here to learn more about the new cast and see their pro partners. Watch the two-hour season premiere of "Dancing with the Stars," Monday, March 17, at 8 p.m.
