One of the surprises of the next edition of ABC’s show “Dancing With The Stars” is actress Cloris Leachman who, at the age of 82, accepted to enter the dancing competition, the network said on Monday.

Leachman won an Academy Award in 1971 for her supporting role in “The Last Picture Show” and a Primetime Emmy for her TV work. She is the oldest contestant that has ever appeared on the show’s ballroom floor.

The second oldest star that competed in the dancing show was actor George Hamilton, 66, who appeared in season two at the beginning of 2006.

Leachman said that she accepted to compete after she got medical approval from several doctors. She said she had nothing to prove, as she hasn’t danced in 60 years, but she wanted to get her muscles back and “this is the most pleasant way to do it.”

Even though she describes her muscles as “noodles,” the octogenarian actress is a very active person, currently touring in her one-woman show “Cloris!” and having recently completed work in three new films.

At the other extreme, the youngest competitor in the show will be 18-year-old Cody Linley from the Disney Channel hit movie “Hannah Montana.”

Actress and model Kim Kardashian also signed on for the show although she has an injured foot. She had to be rushed to the emergency room to seek treatment on Sunday night, after she suffered a deep cut in her foot from a glass coffee table. She described the situation comparing it to a murder scene, due to the high quantity of blood. But she still doesn’t want to miss the occasion to appear on the popular TV show. Her spokeswoman said she would make some adjustments to her dancing shoes and continue with rehearsals.

“There was a mirror on a Venetian little desk and it was all broken and I saw it and I almost cut my finger, so to push away from it I used my foot ... because it just looked really bad.. .. So I did hurt myself but it was fine. I went to the hospital, I'm fine,” Kardashian assured the show’s producers and her fans.

The lineup also includes soap-opera actress Susan Lucci, who is famous for her role as Erica Kane in “All My Children” and also for being nominated 19 times for an Emmy before she finally won one. Lucci said she had been asked to join the show before, but she refused, as she wasn’t sure whether she could “fly back and forth across the country.” But this time, she joyfully accepted the invitation, saying she felt “blessed” that they asked her to do this.

“When else in your life would you really take all of these amazing dance classes?” she explained her enthusiasm.
The “Dancing” stars also include two Olympic gold medalists: volleyball star Misty May-Treanor and sprinter Maurice Greene.

Greene said he was more nervous about dancing than about running.

“I'm more worried about this than I was during the 100-meter finals,” says Greene. “The track was my home.”

The competition will include singers Toni Braxton and Lance Bass, chef Rocco DiSpirito, Ted McGinley, football player Warren Sapp, TV host Brooke Burke and Hollywood producer Jeffrey Ross.