“Pommel horse guy” is headed to “Dancing with the Stars.”
ABC on Thursday announced that gymnast Stephen Nedoroscik, the pommel horse specialist who became an internet sensation during the 2024 Paris Olympics, is joining the dance competition show for its 33rd season.
Nedoroscik, 25, was the first celebrity to be confirmed as a contestant on “Dancing with the Stars” Season 33, and he appeared Thursday on “Good Morning America” to share the news.
The gymnast won a bronze medal on the pommel horse during the Paris Olympics and also helped secure a bronze medal in the team final. He was the subject of numerous internet memes, particularly after a moment where he looked like he was asleep.
“Pommel Horse Guy is about to do the biggest Pommel Horse of his life and appears to be taking a peaceful nap. New #1 favorite Olympic athlete,” one X post said.
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Pommel horse guy Stephen Nedoroscik saw your memes. Then, he won another Olympic bronze
On “Good Morning America,” Nedoroscik explained this was part of an effort to stay calm before the competition, and he teased viewers might see him utilize this strategy again on “Dancing with the Stars.”
“It’s kind of what I do just to calm myself down, so I will probably be bringing that to the dance floor,” he said.
Nedoroscik also told “GMA” that he plans to bring gymnastic “flair” to the dance competition.
How Stephen Nedoroscik delivered on pommel horse to seal US gymnastics’ Olympic bronze
Other memes compared Nedoroscik to a real-life Clark Kent due to his glasses. He previously said on “The Tonight Show” that he had to turn the notifications off on his phone before the pommel horse final so he didn’t “get too absorbed” in the attention he was getting online.
When does ‘Dancing with the Stars’ Season 33 premiere?
Alfonso Ribeiro and Julianne Hough are set to return as co-hosts of “Dancing with the Stars,” while Carrie Ann Inaba, Bruno Tonioli and Derek Hough will serve as judges. The full cast has not yet been revealed. The show’s most recent season featured celebrity contestants like Alyson Hannigan, Ariana Madix, Jamie Lynn Spears and Xochitl Gomez.
Season 33 of “Dancing with the Stars” will premiere Sept. 17 on ABC and Disney+.
Contributing: Tom Schad and Craig Meyer