Kym Johnson: 'DWTS: All-Stars' is 'quite scary'

If there's one comfort Kym Johnson has going into the "All-Stars" season of "Dancing With the Stars," which premieres tonight at 8 p.m. on ABC, it's that she's back with her friend and former dancing partner, Joey Fatone.

But other than that, she told CNN ahead of the show's premiere, all bets are off.

"That's the thing about the 'All-Stars' - someone who was first place, second or third could be out the first week," Johnson said. "It's quite scary and it's a lot more pressure on the dancers I feel this season, to make sure we step up the choreography and make it more challenging. This 'All-Stars' season is going to be very exciting to watch but a bit stressful for us."

The pro dancer added that she's been pushing herself to keep her own routines cutting edge, and that she's lucky to be with a partner she already knows so well.

"Joey and I have known each other for so long, and we really have this brother-sister relationship," Johnson said. "That was three or four years ago that we danced with each other at least, and we remained really good friends."

She and Fatone came in second in season 4, she continued, but fans may as well forget about their past success - "All-Stars" forces everyone to prove themselves once again.  "We're up against six previous winners, and everyone else has pretty much been in the finals," Johnson said. "Even though we were second, we could go the first week."

When she's not rehearsing with Fatone for the new season of "DWTS," you may catch Johnson enjoying a Pittsburgh Steelers game - the Australian native previously performed on "DWTS" with former Steelers player Hines Ward, and quickly became a fan of his team.

"I love the Steelers, they still support me on 'Dancing with the Stars' even though I'm  not dancing with Hines. It's great to see that they're so loyal and such great supporters of their team," Johnson said. "I just really [fell] in love with the Steelers, just seeing all the fans and all the support that they gave us was incredible. I fell in love with American football."

Johnson reps the Steelers as part of the NFL's women's apparel campaign, "It's My Team," but it doesn't sound like she's in it just for show.

When catching Ward's games in the past, "I used to get into my Steelers outfit on the sofa, and have my hat and my jersey and invite my friends over. I'd get very into it - I was one of these people yelling at the TV," Johnson said. "For someone from Australia who doesn't know American football, I've definitely gotten myself very into it."