Valerie Harper joins 'Dancing With the Stars' competition

Wednesday, September 4, 2013

photo This image released by ABC shows actress Valerie Harper on "Good Morning America," Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2013, in New York after it was announced that she will be one of 12 celebrities competing on "Dancing with the Stars."

Busy cancer patient Valerie Harper leads a class of 12 amateur hoofers in the upcoming 17th season of "Dancing With the Stars."

The cast was revealed Wednesday on ABC's "Good Morning America." For a show that has reached an increasingly older audience, ABC added an injection of youth with reality stars Nicole "Snooki" Polizzi of "Jersey Shore" and Ozzy's kid Jack Osbourne.

Harper has defied odds with her survival since being diagnosed earlier this year with brain cancer. She recently filmed a movie role and joined a Nick at Nite reunion of "The Mary Tyler Moore" cast.

Other contestants are Bill Nye, the "Science Guy"; "Pretty Little Liars" actor Brant Daugherty; former NFL wide receiver Keyshawn Johnson; singer and actress Christina Milian; actress Elizabeth Berkley; "High School Musical" actor Corbin Bleu; "Glee" actress Amber Riley; country comic Bill Engvall; and "King of Queens" actress Leah Remini.

The new season of "Dancing With the Stars" premieres Sept. 16.