LAST EDITED ON 07-29-06 AT 09:57 PM (EST)

Here's a spoiler that has been reported about a star who may be moving into the neighborhood this season, in hopes of sprucing up the ratings...
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THE DEAL....According to a number of DIANA ROSS websites over the past few weeks (and one of the 'exclusive' stories featured on "Extra" on/or around July 20), it looks like the 62-year-old singer/actress is very close to inking a deal with ABC and DH producers to join the cast of DH. At first, the producers wanted her to be a four week 'guest star' during November sweeps, and possibly return again for February sweeps. Now they are negotiating a deal with a "full season" contract, introducing her character in late October.

THE STORYLINE...The story, so far, is for Ross to portray a "maneating" jazz diva who has quit show-business, and leaves a 'big city' ( NYC? LA? ) behind to live in "peace and quiet" on Wisteria Lane. As the season progresses, Ross' story will unravel and the truth behind why she left show biz behind for Wisteria Lane will be revealed. (Some suggest she will have 'ties' to one of the main characters on the show, used as a cliff-hanger at the end of the season).

Ross has said in the past year she was 'looking to return to acting, on the big screen in a musical' but she would never rule out 'any other interesting projects'. (She has been rumoured, over the past few years, to be one of the celebrities on Andrew Lloyd Webber's list of actresses to play Norma Desmond in the big screen version of his Broadway musical "Sunset Boulevard").

Ross has been nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress in 1973 for her portrayal of Billie Holiday in her big screen debut in the 1972 movie-musical "Lady Sings The Blues". She was also nominated for a Golden Globe in 1995 for the ABC movie "Out of Darkness". Ross has also starred in the 1975 movie "Mahogany", the 1978 movie-musical "The Wiz", and the 1999 ABC TV movie "Double Platinum".

Ross' first studio album (tentatively titled "Another Love") in eight years is scheduled to be released in mid-October. Her jazz album "Blue", which was recorded for Motown in 1972, has seen rave reviews and chart success after being shelved for 34 years, finally released this past June.