Host Tom Bergeron and former finalist Melissa Rycroft revealed the cast Monday. It includes Pamela Anderson, astronaut Buzz Aldrin and reality stars Kate Gosselin and Jake Pavelka.

Also competing for the mirrorball trophy will be: gold medal figure skater Evan Lysacek, sportscaster Erin Andrews, singer Nicole Scherzinger, football star Chad Ochocinco and actors Shannen Doherty, Aiden Turner and Niecy Nash.

"It's definitely one of our strongest cast lineups ever," said executive producer Conrad Green. "Pound for pound, it should be really fascinating watching."

"Dancing With the Stars" returns on March 22.

Green said the recipe for a great cast is "part hope, part luck, part skill, part research." The show's staff has been courting many of the newly announced contestants for months, he said.

The new dancers will train for three weeks before making their primetime premiere.

Green said his staff is enforcing limits on training time to avoid the spate of injuries that plagued last year's cast and caused two stars to drop out before the competition began.