Tonya Harding Fully Expects Nancy Kerrigan Comparisons on Dancing With the Stars

Harding is part of the all-athlete cast of the ABC reality hit, premiering April 30

By Lauren Piester Apr 13, 2018 6:05 PMTags
Watch: Tonya Harding Dishes on Joining "DWTS: Athletes"

Tonya Harding is so ready to finally be on Dancing with the Stars

The former Olympic figure skater is a longtime fan of the ABC reality show and has "always wanted to be on it," she told E! News after the all-athletes cast announcement in New York this morning, but she knows there's one name she won't be able to escape during her time on the show. 

Harding is well known for an incident in 1994 when her ex-husband hired someone to hit figure skating rival Nancy Kerrigan in the knee. The story, as well as Harding's difficult childhood and rise to skating stardom, was chronicled in the 2017 movie I, Tonya, with Margot Robbie playing Tonya. 

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Meet the Dancing With the Stars: Athletes Cast

Nancy Kerrigan also just so happens to have competed on Dancing with the Stars in season 24. She tied with Nick Viall for 6th and 7th place. 

When asked if she's ready for the Nancy Kerrigan references, Harding said she was.

"You know, I know that there's going to be comparisons, and that's perfectly fine," she told us, though she's got bigger concerns when it comes to partner Sasha Farber and his new wife, fellow pro and partner to MLB star Johnny Damon, Emma Slater. "I just want to go out and we will do the best that we can, and hopefully beat his wife. That's the important part, I guess." 

Farber seems to think they've got a pretty good chance just based on one thing.

"Our height is like, perfect." 

For more from Harding and Farber—including why we're about to see a whole new side of Tonya Harding—hit play above, and head to our gallery to get the scoop on the full cast. 

Dancing With the Stars: Athletes premieres Monday, April 30 at 8 p.m. on ABC.