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  • ‘Bachelor’ contestant Melissa Rycroft
  • Melissa Rycroft visits ‘Ellen’ after ‘The Bachelor’ finale
  • Access’ Nancy O’Dell on ‘Dancing With the Stars’
  • Jewel and Dmitry Chaplin rehearse for ‘Dancing With the Stars’

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  • ABC

    ‘Bachelor’ contestant Melissa Rycroft

  • The Ellen DeGeneres Show

    Melissa Rycroft visits ‘Ellen’ after ‘The Bachelor’ finale

  • ABC

    Access’ Nancy O’Dell on ‘Dancing With the Stars’

  • ABC

    Jewel and Dmitry Chaplin rehearse for ‘Dancing With the Stars’

 
 

FIRST PUBLISHED: March 8, 2009 2:00 PM EDT
LAST UPDATED: March 8, 2009 3:02 PM EDT

LOS ANGELES, Calif. --

The Bachelor” star Melissa Rycroft will join “Dancing With the Stars” for the ABC show’s Monday premiere, Access Hollywood has confirmed, although ABC would not confirm the news yet.

The casting was first reported by People on Sunday.

The former Dallas Cowboys cheerleader, who was dumped on the “After the Final Rose” special by Jason Mesnick after he proposed to her in the “Bachelor” season finale, will replace Access’s Nancy O’Dell, who had to leave the competition due to a torn meniscus in her knee. She’ll be dancing with pro Tony Dovolani.

In addition to her cheerleading skills, Melissa has a background in ballet — which could help the late addition make up for lost rehearsal time.

Former “The Girls Next Door” star Holly Madison is rumored to be filling the show’s other spot, left by singer Jewel, who also exited the competition early due to injuries.

ABC had no comment on the news when reached by Access on Sunday, noting that additional casting announcements would be made on Monday’s show.

The eighth season of “Dancing” premieres on Monday at 8 PM.

Copyright 2009 by NBC Universal, Inc. All rights reserved.
This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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