Tonya Harding is set to compete on the 26th season of 'Dancing with the Stars'
The controversial retired figure skater hit headlines in 1994, when her now-ex-husband Jeff Gilooly plotted with her self-appointed bodyguard, Shawn Eckhardt, to take out her rival Nancy Kerrigan to pave the way for her spot on the US Winter Olympic team
16 April 2018
Tonya has recently reemerged as a public figure after Margot Robbie starred as her in a biopic about the notorious incident in the 2017 movie 'I, Tonya'.
Tonya will now compete on the new series, which features some of the stars from the sports world, with the show being dubbed 'Dancing with the Stars: Athletes'.
There could be a few "emotional" moments for Tonya as she admits cheers from the crowd may cause her to become overwhelmed.
Reflecting on the challenge, which will see her partnered with professional dancer Sasha Farber, she confessed: "It's been a very, very long time since I had people respect me in any way, so that's where the emotion comes in.
"If I get a standing ovation or have a huge crowd that does like me, I'll cry.
"Since I've become a mommy, I have more emotions."
Tonya and her ex-spouse secretly hired a thug to break Nancy's leg so that she had no choice but to pull out of the then-upcoming Winter Olympics.
But, despite her injuries, the pair went on to compete against one another in the highly publicised sporting event.
Nancy remarkably won the silver medal at the Games and, after details of the crime - known as The Whack Heard Round the World due to the fact she was clubbed around the knee with a baton - came to light, Tonya was handed a sporting lifetime ban.
Her husband Jeff, on the other hand, was handed a two-year prison sentence.
Tonya is among 10 stars with sporting backgrounds taking part on the new series - including Olympic skater Adam Rippon - which begins on ABC on April 30.
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