From Brazil to the ballroom? Dancing With the Stars producers have their sights set on Olympic gymnastics hero Simone Biles to join the season 23 competition, a source tells Us Weekly exclusively.
The show insider tells Us that Biles, 19 — who nabbed a whopping five medals in Rio this month — is producers’ top pick among this year’s standout Olympians to show off her fancy footwork.
“They would love to cast some Olympians if possible,” says the source, who points out that the ABC competition series’ team was waiting until after the games unfolded to see which athletes stood out.
Reps for DWTS tell Us they don’t comment on casting rumors.
Biles certainly has been having quite a month. America’s most decorated gymnast nabbed gold in four categories: all-around, vault, floor exercise and as part of the U.S. team’s win. (She also took bronze in balance beam.) Plus, she landed a kiss on the cheek from her celebrity crush, Zac Efron, on the Today show’s Tuesday, August 16, episode.
After winning the gold for the vault on August 14, Biles told Us that she would enjoy competing on the fancy-footwork show, as long as her schedule allows. “I think Dancing With the Stars would be so cool!” she said. “I can’t dance, but that’s what it’s for. I don’t know — we’ll be so busy, we have tour, and if that happens, and I can do it, that would be amazing.”
If the gymnastics extraordinaire decides to enter the fray for the coveted Mirrorball Trophy, she would presumably become an instant front-runner, given the success rate of previous Olympic champs. Case in point: Speed skater Apolo Ohno won season 4, gymnast Shawn Johnson prevailed in season 8 (and was runner-up in the all-star season 15) and ice dancer Meryl Davis ended up on top in season 18. Biles’ U.S. gymnastics teammate Aly Raisman placed fourth in season 16.
The reigning Mirrorball winner is America’s Next Top Model alum Nyle DiMarco, who triumphed over UFC star Paige VanZant for the season 22 title. The full list of season 23 participants will be announced on Good Morning America on Tuesday, August 30.
Tell Us: Which 2016 Olympians do you want to see on Dancing With the Stars?
Dancing With the Stars season 23 premieres on ABC Monday, September 12, at 8 p.m. ET.
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