Amazing news for fans of both Battlestar Galactica and 24 … Michael Ausiello of Entertainment Weekly is reporting exclusively that BG‘s Katee Sackhoff has just signed a deal to join the cast of 24! According to Ausiello, Sackhoff‘s character will be going head-to-head with Mary Lynn Rajkub‘s Chloe O’Brien in the newly revamped NYC office of the show’s Counter Terrorist Unit. Um … OM-Frakking-G!!!

Suddenly, I find myself counting the minutes until 24′s new season. Perhaps this is why: Katee Sackhoff is joining the cast! Sources confirm to me exclusively that the Battlestar Galactica heroine has been tapped to play the series regular role of Dana Walsh, a highly respected and down-to-earth data analyst at the new and improved New York branch of CTU. Translation: Chloe-Starbuck catfight alert! This fraktastic casting coup hit a road block last week when Sackhoff abruptly took herself out of the running, prompting me to post this blind item. But late Friday, word surfaced that the BSG badass was once again in the mix. Here’s more scoop on Sackhoff’s character… She’s in a relationship with fellow agent Davis Cole (played by the just-cast Freddie Prinze. Jr.), and she apparently has a skeleton in her closet she’s trying desperately to keep hidden. As I previously reported, 24′s eighth season — which premieres Jan. 17, 2010 — will be set in the Big Apple and center on an assassination plot against a visiting foreign leader (Slumdog Millionaire’s Anil Kapoor). In addition to Sackhoff and Prinze, new Day 8 blood includes Forrest Gump’s Mykelti Williamson, Kissing Jessica Stein’s Jennifer Westfeldt (as a journalist with ties to Kapoor’s diplomat), and The Starter Wife’s Chris Diamantopoulos (as President Taylor’s Chief of Staff).

While I am not at all happy that Anil Kapoor will be on the show (he bugs me to no end), I’m thrilled that Katee Sackhoff has joined the cast … that she will be paired up with Freddie Prinze, Jr.‘s character only makes the whole thing even more awesome! 24 remains my fave TV drama and from what we’re hearing about the new season, it looks like that will still be the case. Ugh … I hate that we have to wait until January to see our first ep of the series but at least we know we have much to look forward to! Excited much??

[Source, thanks Rawa]