Putting her best foot forward
The contestants for the next season of “Dancing With the Stars” were announced Tuesday – including Paul McCartney‘s estranged wife, Heather Mills.
Mills will be the first contestant with an artificial limb to compete on the ABC reality series, which returns for its fourth season March 19. She lost a leg in a motorcycle accident in 1993.
Also on the list: Laila Ali, the undefeated world champion boxer and daughter of Muhammad Ali.
Rounding out the would-be ballroom champs are singer Billy Ray Cyrus; former NBA star Clyde Drexler; actor Vince Pastore (“Big Pussy” of “The Sopranos”); supermodel Paulina Porizkova; Olympic gold medalist Apolo Anton Ohno; actor and musician Joey Fatone; 2004 Miss USA Shandi Finnessey; and TV talk show host Leeza Gibbons.
To avoid “American Idol,” ABC has moved the performance show to Monday nights at 8 and the results show to Tuesday nights at 9.
Up next: re-re-rehab?
The latest in the Britney Spears saga: The troubled pop star left a live-in drug rehabilitation facility in California early Wednesday, less than a day after checking in.
It was apparently the second time in a week that Spears voluntarily entered a rehab facility and checked out before her first day was finished. She reportedly did the same last week at Eric Clapton‘s Crossroads center in Antigua.
Spears entered rehab again Tuesday after a meltdown weekend that included shaving her head and having her wrist tattooed.
‘Bachelorette’ to bassinet
Trista and Ryan Sutter, who found love on “The Bachelorette,” are expecting their first child this summer.
The couple tied the knot in 2003 in a two-hour ABC special.
Death certificate
It’s officially over between another reality TV couple: Carmen Electra and Dave Navarro.
The divorce of the former “Baywatch” star and the rock guitarist was finalized this week. They chronicled their 2003 marriage on MTV’s ” ‘Til Death Do Us Part: Carmen & Dave.”
Hey, lady – beat it
The family of a woman who died two years ago is suing Michael Jackson and a California hospital, saying she was moved to make room when the pop star arrived with flu symptoms.
The complaint was filed against Jackson and Marian Medical Center in Santa Maria on behalf of Manuela Gomez Ruiz.
Jackson’s admission to the hospital on Feb. 15, 2005, caused the cancellation of a court session in his child molestation trial (he was later acquitted). Ruiz, 73, suffered a second heart attack and died later that day.
“Manuela Ruiz was dying,” the suit says. “Michael Jackson was also dying … dying not to go to court that day.”
The birthday bunch
Announcer Don Pardo is 89. Director Jonathan Demme is 63. Actress Julie Walters (“Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone”) is 57. Actor Kyle MacLachlan is 48. Comedian Rachel Dratch (“30 Rock”) is 41. Actress Jeri Ryan (“Boston Public,” “Star Trek: Voyager”) is 39. Actor Jose Solano (“Baywatch”) is 36. Actress Drew Barrymore is 32. Singer James Blunt is 30. Actor Daniel E. Smith (“John Q.”) is 17.