Actress Nancy McKeon was the first celebrity contestant officially announced for season 24 of “Dancing with the Stars.” And she’s the second star of “The Facts of Life” to vie for the Mirror Ball Trophy, following season 22 contestant Kim Fields, who finished eighth. Can McKeon improve on that? Let’s take the good, take the bad, take them both and then we’ll have the pros and cons.
PROS
McKeon hit the pro partner jackpot by drawing Val Chmerkovskiy. The “DWTS” veteran is arguably a bigger star than a lot of this season’s celebrity contestants, and he has a remarkable track record. In his 13 past seasons he has won twice — with Rumer Willis (season 20) and Laurie Hernandez (season 23) — and made it to the finals a total of seven times. And in his last seven seasons he hasn’t finished lower than fifth place.
McKeon’s TV credits span from “The Facts of Life” throughout the 1980s to playing Demi Lovato‘s mother on the Disney Channel series “Sonny with a Chance” in the 2000s. That gives her multiple generations of TV fans who could rally behind her with their votes.
CONS
At age 52, McKeon is the oldest woman competing this season, and she would be the oldest winner in the history of the show, male or female. “DWTS” tends to advantage youth over experience,
Despite an extensive acting resume, McKeon doesn’t have any credits or related experience that suggest an aptitude for dance. Without prior training, she’ll need to be a quick study when it comes to Chmerkovskiy’s choreography.
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