Jamie Lynn Spears is coming for the mirror ball trophy, but some “Dancing With the Stars” devotees are coming after her.
The “Zoey 101” alum and younger sister of pop star Britney Spears is among the celebrities competing in Season 32 of the long-running dance series, “DWTS” announced Tuesday morning. In an Instagram video, Spears said she “can’t wait to show you my moves,” and said she’ll be paired with prop Alan Bersten.
Spears and Bersten also appeared Tuesday on “Good Morning America,” where they chatted with host Lara Spencer about the upcoming season.
“I don’t know if one could ever be 100% ready to take on something this big,” the actor said.
“I’m ready to challenge myself,” she continued. Spears told Spencer that she intends to donate her weekly “DWTS” salary to the ongoing SAG-AFTRA and WGA strikes.
She added: “Just give back to them in a time where they can’t give to themselves.”
Tuesday’s announcement resulted in mixed reactions from fans on Instagram and Twitter. A handful of Instagram users celebrated the “excellent” casting and expressed excitement for the new season, but scores of negative comments about Spears overshadowed the positive. Instagram user @kweaver6615 slammed the series for the “worst casting decision y’all ever made.”
“This was a poor choice,” wrote @saramariya95
“I thought sean spicer and carole baskin were the most controversial stars on this show,” wrote @sydneyblaw15.
Representatives for Jamie Lynn and “Dancing With the Stars” did not immediately respond to The Times’ separate requests for comment Tuesday.
Outspoken Instagram and Twitter users seemed to refer back to Spears’ tensions with sister Britney amid her years-long conservatorship battle, which ended in November 2021. While promoting her memoir in January 2022, Jamie Lynn, 32, said that she played a minimal role in her sister’s legal arrangement and tried to help Britney, 41.
“I didn’t understand what was happening. Nor was I focused on that. I was focused on the fact that I was a 17-year-old about to have a baby. I [understood] just as little about it then as I do now,” she told ABC News.
Shortly after, Britney slammed her younger sister for exposing their family drama for her book, “Things I Should Have Said.” Earlier this year, the sisters seemingly reconciled as they spent time together on the set of Jamie Lynn’s “Zoey 102,” a “Zoey 101” TV-movie spinoff.
“It was nice to visit my sister on set last week !!!” the “Toxic” singer captioned a June video.
“Dancing With the Stars” will reveal its full Season 32 lineup Wednesday on “Good Morning America.” The show previously announced that “Vanderpump Rules” personality Ariana Madix and “Bachelorette” star Charity Lawson were joining the cast.
