Despite reports that Usher will be joining Season 24 of the ABC competition series, “Dancing With The Stars,” Gossip Cop exclusively confirms that the singer and dancer extraordinaire is NOT joining the show.
The misinformation comes from theJasmineBrand, which is reporting that Usher has been “cast on the upcoming season of ‘Dancing With the Stars’” and “will be on season 24 of ABC’s hit dancing competition show.” A source is quoted as saying, “The producers and network are keeping it top secret, but this is major!”
“They wanted an A-lister and he’s one of the biggest names in the industry. Not to mention, Usher is an amazing dancer,” claims the outlet’s tipster. The blog further says, “We hear that Usher has already began shooting promos for the show. The network and producers are still working on finalizing other big names for the new season.”
Producers are indeed lining up names for the next season, which is slated to premiere in March. A rep for Usher, who previously made an appearance on the program as a guest performer, exclusively tells Gossip Cop that he “has no plans to be on ‘Dancing with the Stars.’”
Usher gave a satisfactory performance as boxer Sugar Ray Leonard in Jonathan Jakubowicz’s “Hands of Stone” film, and his skills as a dancer helped get him the part.
“I was auditioning lots of actors, and I wasn’t really finding anybody I was excited about,” recalls director Jakubowicz. “Then I was invited to [boxing coach] Freddie Roach’s gym in Los Angeles to watch Manny Pacquiao train. I asked Freddie if he thought there was a fighter who could play Sugar Ray Leonard. He said, ‘Listen, for Sugar Ray, you should find a dancer. He was so slick, and he had so much showmanship, that it would be easier for you teach a dancer to box than to teach a fighter to box like Sugar Ray.’ So I went home and started thinking, who’s the best dancer in the world?”
Usher is currently readying the release of his long-delayed eighth studio album.
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(Photo Source: AP, PR)
