Last Season's Champ Won't Be Dancing With Any Stars This Season

Season 10's cast announcement is only hours away, but longtime pro Kym Johnson joins several other hoofers who won't be on the roster

UPDATE: Kym's agent, Mark Measures, disputes any notion of a money fight, telling E! News that while the former champ won't be appearing on this cycle, she "has a contract with the show that is absolutely valid and binding. You'll probably even see her dance in the results shows." He also claims they "never know cycle-to-cycle" whether or not she’ll be needed, but they're "fully expecting her to be asked back next cycle."

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We interrupt the countdown to tonight's Dancing With the Stars unveiling to bring you this: Kym Johnson, who won last year's contest with Donny Osmond, will not be returning to the show for season 10, E! News has exclusively learned.

"She and her agent went after more money in her contract," says a source close to the show. Producers were "not happy they played the money game, so they left her off and didn't renew her contract."

At least the 33-year-old Austrailian has a disco ball trophy to shine at home. The same can't be said for the four other longtime pros who won't be hoofing it up this go-round—Lacey Schwimmer, Jonathan Roberts, Karina Smirnoff and Dmitry Chaplin.

The full list of contestants—but not necessarily their corresponding mentors—will be announced tonight on the finale of The Bachelor. Former contestant Melissa Rycroft, one of those rumored to be replacing Samantha Harris as a cohost, will join Tom Bergeron for the big announcement.

(Originally published on March 1, 2010, at 9:07 a.m. PT)