Even if you’re not familiar with the ultra-competitive sport of figure skating, you have probably heard of Tonya Harding and Nancy Kerrigan – and their infamous and criminal feud. A new report from the National Enquirer is now alleging that Tonya Harding has been invited to watch Nancy Kerrigan on Dancing with the Stars, even though the last time the two were in the national headlights, the story ended with an assault, arrests, a busted kneecap, and a highly publicized fight between the duo.
A source tells the National Enquirer, “[Producers have invited Harding] to sit in the front row and watch Nancy dance. They hope having Tonya on the set will add to the pressure and drama, and the ratings.” This would be an insane story if true, but let’s not get ahead of ourselves. There’s a lot that the producers of Dancing with the Stars would be willing to do for ratings, but inviting someone with a criminal history with Kerrigan on the show? That might be crossing the line, even for them.
For those who don’t know the specifics of the Tonya Harding/Nancy Kerrigan feud, Kerrigan was assaulted by Shane Stant in 1994, and Stant was hired by Tonya Harding’s ex-husband Jeff Gillooly and her bodyguard Shawn Eckhardt. The only way Harding managed to avoid jail time was by pleading guilty to conspiring to hinder prosecution of the attackers. She had to withdraw from figure skating championships and the United States Figure Skating Association, and her image and her career were destroyed in the aftermath of the assault and the charges.
There is a film on this subject being made right now with Margot Robbie, and it seems like other TV shows and films being developed around the feud. Of course, with Kerrigan appearing on Dancing with the Stars, the subject has naturally made its way back in the limelight, but this story does feel like a tabloid attempt to cash in on that. It is very unlikely that the producers – given the history of Nancy Kerrigan’s relationship with Tonya Harding and everything that happened after that – would invite Harding on Dancing With The Stars, regardless of shock value and ratings. Come to CDL for all your DWTS news, recaps and dances!