OLYMPIC DIVING LEGEND AND FOUR-TIME GOLD MEDALIST GREG LOUGANIS SIGNS ON AS JUDGE FOR ABC'S DIVING COMPETITION SERIES BASED ON HIT INTERNATIONAL FORMAT, "CELEBRITY SPLASH"

Four-time Olympic gold medalist Greg Louganis has signed on to serve as a judge on ABC's new reality diving competition show based on the hit international format, "Celebrity Splash," produced by Eyeworks USA (formerly 3 Ball Productions).

Louganis made history in the 1980s by becoming the only male to sweep the diving events (3M Springboard and 10M Platform) in consecutive Olympic Games. In total, Louganis earned five medals - four of them gold - in three separate Olympics (1976, 1984 and 1988).

The series will feature celebrities performing dives from heights of up to 10 meters, increasing in difficulty each week. A professional diving instructor will train each celebrity for several weeks leading up to the competition. Louganis will serve as one of three judges who will rate dives that include backflips, somersaults and other gymnastic feats.

Said Louganis, "There is nothing more gratifying to an elite athlete than to see his or her sport excite audiences and resonate with fans. Diving is one of those unique disciplines requiring fitness, physical strength, precision and artistry. I am thrilled to be part of bringing the sport that I love to a large TV audience - which won't have to wait until Rio 2016 to see some pretty incredible diving!"

Executive producer JD Roth, added, "Doing a celebrity diving show without Greg Louganis would be like producing a celebrity basketball show without Michael Jordan. In the world of diving, Greg is simply in a league of his own."

The format "Celebrity Splash" was the breakout hit of summer 2012 in the Netherlands, where it broke ratings records, and has since been sold to major international markets including the UK, France and Australia.

The series will premiere on ABC in 2013.