Good Morning America Interviews DWTS Season 17 Cast Before The Premiere

Good Morning America aired a new segment on the premiere of Dancing With The Stars Season 17 this morning. The cast talked with Melissa Rycroft. We don’t have the video coverage yet, but, you can read an article about it at this link. Below is a take with comments from Valerie Harper, Jack Osbourne, Amber Riley, Leah Remini, and Bill Engvall talking of their jitters and goals. We’ll be sure to post the video as soon as it’s available. ETA: Ok, you can now watch the video coverage at this link. You can also see some of the cast dancing in stage rehearsals. Too fun!

Actress Valerie Harper, who has been diagnosed with terminal brain cancer that appears to have retreated for now, told “Good Morning America” correspondent Melissa Rycroft that, physically, she’s feeling very well.

At 74, Harper is the oldest celebrity competitor in the cast. She says she has a strained knee for which she’s receiving therapy, but added that she “wouldn’t be doing this if it was endangering me in any way.”

“And I think it was a great opportunity to get out there and say, you know, ‘I have cancer … Keep living your life. Keep moving and you can win. You can extend the time, at least,'” she said.

For TV personality Jack Osbourne, who has multiple sclerosis, participation on the program will be significant in several ways.

“One thing I hope to accomplish is, I guess, mainly, just to kind of put it out there, in all seriousness, that when you get diagnosed with MS that your life doesn’t stop and that you are still, for the most part, able to do (what) everyone else can,” he said.

“Glee” star Amber Riley also hopes to send a message through her participation.

“You know, I really want young girls that look just like me to feel – just get out there and move and dance,” she said.

As for the other celebrity dancers this season, many of them have admitted to feeling first-night jitters.

“Yes, definitely nervous. Very anxious,” Riley told Rycroft, who was “Dancing With the Stars: All-Stars” champion in 2012.

Comedian Bill Engvall said he was more nervous than he thought he would be, while actress Leah Remini admitted feeling “terrified” about her looming dance debut.

More at Good Morning America.