QUICK TAKE

SCORING FOR THE ALL-STARS HEATS UP! THE JUDGES WILL HAVE MORE SCORES TO CHOOSE FROM, ON "DANCING WITH THE STARS: ALL-STARS"

All-Star Couples Will Be Able to Receive Half Points in Addition to the Standard 1-10 Scores

"Dancing with the Stars: All-Stars" Premieres Tonight, Monday, September 24 at 8:00 p.m., ET on ABC

Beginning tonight on the premiere episode of "Dancing with the Stars: All-Stars," the judges will be able to award whole and half points up to 10 (for example, 8.5, 9, 9.5) to accommodate and reflect the higher degrees of difficulty and nuances in performance that this season's All-Stars will bring to the dance floor.

"With the standard of dancing so high and the qualities of our stars so closely matched, we thought it would help the judges to be able to make finer distinctions between performances this season," said Conrad Green, executive producer, "Dancing with the Stars: All-Stars."

From former champions to fan favorites, including a celebrity voted in by fans, the All-Star cast along with their professional partners return to the ballroom tonight on the season premiere of "Dancing with the Stars: All-Stars," MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 24 (8:00-10:01 p.m., ET) on the ABC Television Network. All 13 couples will hit the stage performing either the Cha Cha or the Foxtrot to impress the judges and viewers at home.

Hosted by Emmy Award winner Tom Bergeron ("America's Funniest Home Videos") and Brooke Burke-Charvet ("Dancing with the Stars" Season Seven Champion), the celebrities perform choreographed dance routines which will be judged by renowned Ballroom judge Len Goodman and dancer/choreographers Bruno Tonioli and Carrie Ann Inaba.

Viewers may cast their votes for their favorite teams via phone on Monday night during and up to 60 minutes after the "Dancing with the Stars: All-Stars" performance shows. AT&T customers may also vote by texting the word "VOTE" and entering the number that corresponds to the team they want to support (message and data rates may apply). Online voting at www.ABC.com is open from the start of each episode on the East Coast and closes at 8:00 a.m., PT/11:00 a.m., ET on Tuesday mornings. Additionally, fans can now vote on Facebook www.facebook.com/dancingwiththestars. A custom Facebook app sponsored by AT&T will let fans vote, share who they voted for and why, as well as see who friends voted for. They can also access the "After Party: Dancing with the Stars" live stream, the DWTS Social Buzz page, and the AT&T Spotlight Performance and Casting Call from the app.

"Dancing with the Stars" is the U.S. version of the international smash hit series, "Strictly Come Dancing." This version is produced by BBC Worldwide Productions. Conrad Green serves as executive producer and Ashley Edens-Shaffer and Joe Sungkur are co-executive producers. Alex Rudzinski directs. "Dancing with the Stars" is broadcast in 720 Progressive (720P), ABC's selected HDTV format, with 5.1 channel surround sound. This program carries a TV-PG,L parental guideline.

About BBC Worldwide Productions

BBC Worldwide Productions is one of five core businesses under BBC Worldwide America, the U.S. division of the main commercial arm and wholly-owned subsidiary of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), BBC Worldwide. Led by Jane Tranter, BBC Worldwide Productions is based in Los Angeles and develops and produces scripted and non-scripted projects for U.S. cable and broadcast networks, as well as digital platforms. The production company is responsible for the smash hit "Dancing with the Stars" (ABC), as well as "Breaking Pointe" (CW), "Top Gear" (HISTORY), "Richard Hammond's Crash Course" (BBC AMERICA), "What Not to Wear" (TLC), "Torchwood: Miracle Day" (Starz) and the upcoming titles "Da Vinci's Demons" (Starz), "The Week the Women Went" (Lifetime) and "Lovetown, USA" (OWN), among others.