SARAH Ferguson could be joining this year’s Dancing with the Stars amid her ex Prince Andrew’s legal drama.
The Duchess Of York, 62, is a “prime target” for bosses of the ABC show – keen to bounce back from a recent ratings dip, insiders said.
‘MILLION DOLLAR’ SALARY
Meanwhile, a source close to the Duchess told The Celeb Report that while Fergie has previously turned down offers from the UK’s Strictly Come Dancing, she always carefully “considers” US offers.
It comes as her former husband Prince Andrew demanded a jury trial and denied allegations in the ongoing case with Virginia Guiffre, who accuses him of sexually assaulting her when she was 17.
Fergie is seen as an “A list name” for the Fall series and could command a pay packet of close to one million dollars – and would be protected from any questions on the legal case, insiders say.
Currently, ABC and BBC Studios are keen to “up the talent level” to curb the declining ratings of recent seasons.
The insider said: “Of course, Sarah would be of great interest given everything that is going on with Prince Andrew.
“ABC will do their best to protect her from getting media questions on that matter.
“Their skilled media and production team have famously protected famous contestants, including Olivia Jade, from having family scandals dragged up.
“But look, the fact that Andrew is in the news would make it fascinating for viewers with all the issues going on legally.”
HUNT FOR STARS
Currently, senior executives within the ABC Studios in Los Angeles have been charged with finding “at least one or ideally two major household names that fascinate fans,” a source said.
Secret requests and conversations with agents, aides, and friends of potential contestants have allegedly begun in a quest to find a strong lineup, they added.
Their brief is to “think big” and lure “an Oscar, Emmy or Grammy-winning star, who will make headlines on and off-screen.”
Officially the show has not yet been recommissioned, but production team workers expect to be there for season 31 as ABC still makes significant profits from the show despite the lowering ratings.
A source close to the Duchess revealed: “She hasn’t been approached about this yet.
“She has been asked to do Strictly in the UK several times and has always turned it down but she always considers opportunities in the US carefully.”
Back in 2006, the royal claimed she had her sights on DWTS.
“I’d quite like to go on Dancing with the Stars,” she told Inside Edition. “I’d like them to teach me the tango.”
The Duchess and Prince Andrew divorced in 1996 after a decade-long marriage but remained very close friends.
Andrew has now demanded his day in court and denied all the allegations against him in an official response to Virginia Giuffre’s sexual assault lawsuit this week.
A trial date is penciled in for the end of 2022, taking place between September and December this year.
Guiffre, 38, claims in 2001 she was trafficked by convicted sex trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell and billionaire financier Jeffrey Epstein to have sex with Andrew in London when she was 17, and a minor in US law.
The prince, 61, who has always vehemently denied all accusations against him, is being sued by Giuffre in a US civil case.
A rep for Ferguson declined to comment.
The Celeb Report reached out to ABC for comment.
