'DWTS': NeNe Leakes Says She Wants to Lose 20lbs!

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Dancing with the Stars fans got a treat Tuesday morning when the new cast was announced for the hit ABC show's 18th season and ET was waiting in the wings to be first to get reactions from the new stars and their pro partners!

"A few months ago I got really sick. So I thought this would be a great way for me to get in shape - I want to lose 20 pounds," said NeNe Leakes, who'll team up with Tony Dovolani. "So we'll see if Tony can get 20 pounds off of me. I hate the gym, so this is something totally different for me, to shake my hips."

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Also being picked for the new cast were Olympic ice dancers Charlie White -- who is paired with pro dancer Sharna Burgess -- and Meryl Davis, who's teamed up with Maksim Chmerkovskiy. "Charlie and I are both really excited to go for it," Meryl said. "It's something different, exciting, out of our comfort zone, and I feel lucky to have gotten this guy (Maksim), so it'll be good."

"It's exciting. You know for 17 years, we've been on the same team, you know heading in the same direction," said Charlie. "But you know for us so much of this is about enjoying ourselves and having fun, so we're not looking at it like competitors so much as just a new great experience that we happen to be sharing at the same time."

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The Price is Right host Drew Carey said he was kind of surprised to be picked for the show since he works for rival network CBS, but he added that he's always wanted to do the show. "I asked the producers to give me the most honest answer they could give me. It's the hardest thing to find in Hollywood is an honest answer, so I said give me the most blunt person," said Drew about his partner, Cheryl Burke, who added that she's sure the two were "going to have so much fun."

Watch the video for more interviews with the all-new cast as well as the recently named new co-host of Dancing with the Stars, Erin Andrews! The new DWTS season returns to ABC on Monday, March 17.