Bristol Palin to Appear in ABC Family Network Series

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The ABC Family network announced Tuesday that Bristol Palin will become a member of the cast of the series "The Secret Life of the American Teenager." Both Bristol and the network say they are "thrilled"by the arrangement:

"I am thrilled to be on this show and to be part of a program that educates teens and young adults about the consequences of teen pregnancy," Palin said in a statement.

Bristol Palin, daughter of former vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin, will play herself as a friend to the show's protagonist, Amy, at a music program for teen mothers. "Secret Life" focuses heavily on how Amy's family and friends deal with her own unexpected pregnancy.

"We're thrilled to have [Bristol] join us, and I think she will bring additional attention to the issues facing teen parents that we've been exploring for a couple seasons now," "Secret Life" executive producer Brenda Hampton said in a statement.

Although the ABC News story did not elaborate, Cristina Kinon of the NY Daily News reports that Ms. Palin will "guest star on an upcoming episode," implying that her role is not planned to be a recurring one, although that can change:

The episode will shoot in Los Angeles and air this summer as part of the series' third season.

"The Secret Life of the American Teenager" is cablecast on Mondays at 7 PM Texas Time.

- JP