ABC/KELSEY MCNEALBrooke Burke's moment in the spotlight just got upgraded from 15 minutes to 3 months—the time until Dancing With the Stars' newest batch of celebs takes to the parquet.
ABC announced this morning that the eighth season of the reality show giant will (cross) kick off on March 9 with a two-hour special premiere.
Unlike this past season, where two couples were unceremoniously given the boot during the first week of competition, the upcoming season will allow the would-be eliminated dancers to double their screen time, with each couple allowed to perform for two weeks before the first elimination takes place.
Of course, the producers' generosity may be more ratings- than feelings-oriented. In the spring, the show competes—albeit not directly—with the audience-sucking black hole that is American Idol.
As with past seasons, competing celebrities will be announced roughly a month prior to the premiere, though at least one professional has already killed the element of surprise: Two-time champ Julianne Hough announced last month that she would not be returning this spring in order to devote more time to her burgeoning country music career.