"Dancing with the Stars" has named former winner — and beloved "Rock Star" icon — Brooke Burke its new co-host.
Burke replaces Samantha Harris, who was dumped from the series after its last cycle. She’ll work with "DWTS" host Tom Bergeron.
ABC announced the news Monday on "Good Morning America," though Burke’s name has been floating around for weeks as a possibility.
"The news about me hosting DWTS is true," Burke tweeted a few weeks ago. "I am screen testing next week for the job, fingers crossed! It would be amazing 2 be back!"
Burke won a 2008 cycle of "DWTS," but she was well-known before that to the millions who watched her on the two seasons of CBS’s underrated "Rock Star" competition (from exec producer Mark Burnett, who ought to be pitching a reboot of "RS" rather than tooling around with Sarah Palin. But we digress.)
In any case, Burke was awesome on "Rock Star," able to hold her own with wily co-host Dave Navarro. Since then, she’s gone on the mommy track, raising four kids and reporting on kiddie stuff for various websites and TV shows. She also took on a hosting gig for TV Land’s "She’s Got the Look."
Burke found out about ABC’s decision to hire here while she was on vacation in Africa.
"I rarely put myself out there emotionally in my business because talent aside, most decisions are political, complicated, and completely out of my hands," Burke blogged Monday on ModernMom.com (she’s CEO of the site). "This particular opportunity is special to me because I know the ballroom like the back of my hand. Also, Tom will be a joy to work with, but mostly, I never thought I’d get another chance to put on my dancing shoes after Derek and I won. You can bet I’ll be sneaking them on a time or two underneath my glamorous gowns!"
Before "Rock Star," Burke hosted E!’s "Wild On" travelogue series. And yes, she posed for Playboy. Twice.
Burke makes her "DWTS" hosting premiere on March 22.
