ABC isn't confirming the move yet, however barring a last-minute recovery, The Girls Next Door star Holly Madison will reportedly be replacing an injured Jewel Kilcher in this season's Dancing with the Stars' celebrity cast.
ADVERTISEMENT
Madison will be replacing Jewel barring an improvement in her knee tendinitis, Us Weekly reported Wednesday.
"Unless there is a miracle healing, Holly is confirmed to be a part of the premiere," a source from the ABC reality dance series told Us.
While ABC is remaining mum, Madison's The Girl Next Door costar Bridget Marquartd reportedly let news of Madison's Dancing addition slip during an appearance on Fox News' Strategy Room program on Wednesday.
"I'm so excited for her," Marquardt said, according to Us. "She's wanted to do it for so long. It just never worked with her schedule and Hef was always like 'I don't want you to do that,' and now it's her time, so I'm really happy for her."
ADVERTISEMENT
Jewel will "still be" on the show on Monday, according to an Us source close to the singer. However Us' report was unclear whether the source was stating that Kilcher is still expected to perform in the competition's first round or will simply announce her withdrawal.
Jewel first broke the news that she had developed knee tendinitis in both of her knees and was in danger of having to withdraw from the show in a February 25 posting on her website.
"I'm just worried I won't even be able to dance! Hopefully these steroids will really do the trick and I can keep bad flare ups at a bay in the future," she wrote. "I have my first rehab appointment today, so I will see what that's like. Hopefully it helps the pain."
However, after her appointment with the therapist, a second post the following day had the singer reporting that she was "feeling better."
"He said if I take time now to heal that I will be good to go by next week," she wrote. "I hate missing these days, but it's all for the best in the long run, because I'm in it for the long haul and I wanna win it!"
ADVERTISEMENT
Jewel also joked at the time that her husband Ty Murray -- who will also be competing on Dancing with the Stars' eighth season with former So You Think You Can Dance contestant Chelsea Hightower -- now held a leg up on her due to the injury.
"Ty and Chelsea are taking advantage of out-practicing me now!" she wrote. "We don't really feel that competitive against each other, we really just feel supportive and sympathetic for how hard the process is, and we are glad to share it together; but we do like to joke about it being a race."
Dancing with the Stars' eighth season will premiere with a two-hour performance episode on Monday, March 9 at 8PM ET/PT on ABC.
About The Author: John Bracchitta