Nicole Scherzinger reveals why she almost turned down a role in the Dirty Dancing remake

Former Pussycat Doll Nicole Scherzinger will star as Penny Johnson in ABC’s upcoming Dirty Dancing remake, but stunning singer has revealed she almost turned down the role because of the abortion story involving her character.

The 38-year-old, who was raised Catholic, explained in a new interview that she is strongly against abortions and thought that taking the role would imply she was "promoting" it.

“I was like a crazy thing because, my family, my Papa’s a Bishop and my family’s really hardcore against abortion. So I got the role and I almost didn’t take it because I didn’t want to promote abortion, because my character has an abortion,” Nicole told the Daily Mail. “But I was like, hopefully they can learn from you know her ways and I can be a positive influence. My mum got pregnant with me when she was 17 and had me when she was 18. She chose.”

“Her parents were never going to let her have an abortion. So I came out, so I just want to you know encourage everybody to keep your babies,” she added.

In the 1987 original, which starred Jennifer Grey as Baby and Patrick Swayze as Johnny, Penny falls pregnant and opts for an illegal abortion.

The dangerous procedure leads to Baby's doctor dad stepping in to save Penny's life.

This will be Nicole's first lead movie role.

She has previously appeared on London's West End during the 2014 revival of Cats: The Musical.

The singer has also had cameo roles in How I Met Your Mother and Men in Black 3.

Baby and Johnny will be played by Scream Queens actress Abigail Breslin and Broadway star Colt Prattes.

Will & Grace actress Debra Messing will star in the role of Baby's mother, Marjorie Houseman.