ABC announces first round of celebrities diving into the debut season of 'Splash'

"Splash" (formerly "Celebrity Diving") premieres Tuesday, March 19, on ABC

ABC announces the first round of celebrities to join the cast of "Splash" (formerly titled "Celebrity Diving"). From one of the most beautiful women on the planet to a legendary athlete and a larger-than-life comedian, these celebrities will look fear in the face as they leap off the 10-meter high dive, pair off to complete synchronized stunts, and flip, twist and spin into the depths of the pool below. Each week the competition will get stiffer as the dives and challenges increase in difficulty.

"Splash" marks the first time 10 celebrities will train and compete in regulation platform and springboard diving at dizzying heights in front of a weekly poolside audience. Leading up to the competition, the world's most decorated and medaled diving legend, Greg Louganis, will give each celebrity weeks of training. Each dive will be critiqued by the judges, London Olympic U.S. Gold medalist David Boudia and Australian Olympic athlete and USA Dive Team director Steve Foley.

The final two celebrities joining the cast will be announced closer to premiere. "Splash" premieres Tuesday, March 19 (8 p.m.), on The ABC Television Network.

Eight of the 10 celebrities joining the "Splash" cast, in alphabetical order, are:

LOUIE ANDERSON - Emmy Award-winning comedianLouie Anderson is one of the most versatile and successful comedians working in Hollywood today. Sharing the ups and downs of his childhood experiences as one of 11 children in Minnesota, Louie crafted comedy routines that rang true for his early club audiences, while reducing them to helpless fits of laughter.

DRAKE BELL - Since becoming a household name via the hit Nickelodeon series "Drake & Josh,"Drake Bell has evolved into an international music, television and film star. He was most recently seen paying homage to the network that launched his career as star of Nickelodeon's live-action/CG adaptation of "The Fairly Odd Parents," "A Fairly Odd Movie: Grow Up, Timmy Turner!," opposite Daniella Monet, and is currently starring as Peter Parker in Disney XD's new animated series "Ultimate Spider-Man."

CHUY BRAVO - Launched into the limelight five years ago as the personal assistant to TV hostess Chelsea Handler, Chuy Bravo has come far, but his journey to Hollywood stardom was long. As Chelsea's sidekick on E!'s No. 1-rated show, "Chelsea Lately," Chuy is the first Latino talk show sidekick ever, and his one-liners have become a favorite staple on the hit show he now calls home.

NICOLE EGGERT - Born in Southern California, Nicole Eggert was Miss Universe in the petite division at age 5, which landed her in a Johnson's & Johnson's television commercial, one of many to come. In 1980 Nicole, only eight at the time, landed a role in the movie "Rich and Famous," opposite Jacqueline Bisset and Candice Bergen, playing a young Meg Ryan, directed by George Cukor. She also co-starred with Darryl Hannah in "Clan of the Cave Bear," directed by Michael Chapman. After re-occurring roles in both hit TV shows "TJ Hooker" and "Who's The Boss," she appeared as a regular on the hit television show "Charles in Charge" as Jamie Powell, when it was syndicated for five years between 1987 to 1992. After the show ended, Nicole went on to star as lifeguard Summer Quinn on seasons one and two on "Baywatch," at the height of its popularity between 1992 and 1994.

KESHIA KNIGHT PULLIAM - Keshia Knight Pulliam began her career at the age of 9 months in a national print ad for Johnson's & Johnson's baby products. By the age of 4, Keshia appeared in several national commercials, was a regular on "Sesame Street" and had the feature film the "Last Dragon" on her resume. It was at the age of 4 that she landed the role of Rudy Huxtable, the youngest daughter of Clair and Cliff Huxtable, on the iconic television series "The Cosby Show."

NDAMUKONG SUH - Ndamukong Suh was born on Jan. 6, 1987, to a Jamaican mother, Bernadette, and a Cameroonian father, Michael. In the Ngema tribe in Cameroon, Ndamukong means "House of Spears." At Grant High School in Portland, Suh was a two-way star on the football team, earning Parade Magazine All-American honors and Portland Interscholastic League Defensive Player of the Year. Considered among the nation's best defensive tackle prospects, he chose to attend the University of Nebraska to study engineering. In the 2010 NFL draft, he was selected second overall by the Detroit Lions.

KATHERINE WEBB - Katherine Webb was born in Montgomery, Ala., and recently graduated from Auburn University with a degree in business management and administration. In 2007, she ranked in the Top 15 for the title of Miss Georgia USA. She was crowned Miss Alabama USA in 2012, and then went on to finish in the Top 10 of the Miss USA 2012 competition. She recently gained national attention during the 2013 BCS National Championship Game telecast in which she was supporting boyfriend and University of Alabama quarterback A.J. McCarron.

KENDRA WILKINSON - Television personality and glamor girl Kendra Wilkinson is best known from her self-titled E! hit reality series, "Kendra," previously from E!'s "The Girls Next Door," and currently from her series on WE TV, "Kendra on Top." The new series follows Kendra, NFL player husband Hank Baskett and son Hank IV through their crazy lives as they balance celebrity life with everyday parenting.

"Splash" is from Eyeworks USA and is based on the breakout hit and Dutch format, "Celebrity Splash."

For more information on "Splash," visit www.ABC.com/Splash.

Follow along on:

• Facebookwww.facebook.com/SplashABC
• Twitter @SplashABC, #Splash