What do you do when a reality series starts losing steam? You bring out the celebrities, of course. It typically doesn’t help the ratings very much but every once in awhile, it works. Certainly Donald Trumps’s Apprentice would have been cancelled long ago had NBC not opted to give Celebrity Apprentice a try. Over the past few seasons, it’s been one of the peacock network’s highest-rated reality shows.

That’s likely the kind of success that ABC is hoping for with their Celebrity Wife Swap series. In this version, famous married ladies will be switching places with other recognizable spouses. The first of five episodes will premiere on January 3rd.

Those who tune in will see two famous faces each week, including a couple of former child stars from ’80s hits Family Ties and Growing Pains. Saturday Night Live veteran Victoria Jackson was approached to be on the show but it seems that didn’t work out since she’s not listed as participating.

Here’s the press release from ABC:

A UNIQUE LINEUP OF CELEBRITIES TO APPEAR ON THE NEW REALITY SERIES “CELEBRITY WIFE SWAP,” PREMIERING TUESDAY, JANUARY 3 ON ABC

Five celebrity couples — including an evangelical pastor, a rapper, a rocker, a professional wrestler and award-winning singers and actors — will put a new spin on the critically-acclaimed reality series, “Wife Swap,” in “Celebrity Wife Swap,” premiering TUESDAY, JANUARY 3, 2012 (9:00-10:00 p.m., ET) on the ABC Television Network.

In this new series, the mothers in two celebrity families with vastly diverse values switch homes (but not bedrooms) — embarking on a journey like no other and revealing the various ways some controversial celebrities live their lives. The two moms are given the chance to see how another celebrity raises their children and deals with life in the spotlight, while allowing both couples the opportunity to re-discover why they love each other and decided to get together in the first place. It’s a mind-blowing experiment that will change their lives forever.

The featured celebrities and their families are (airdates to be announced at a later date):

· GARY BUSEY, Academy Award-nominated actor for “The Buddy Holly Story” and TED HAGGARD, Evangelical pastor.

· TRACEY GOLD, actress, formerly of “Growing Pains,” and CARNIE WILSON, singer/actress/TV host.

· FLAVOR FLAV, world renowned rapper, and DEE SNIDER, rock star.

· MICK FOLEY, professional wrestler/writer, and ANTONIO SABATO JR., actor/model.

· NIECY NASH, actress/comedienne, and TINA YOTHERS, rocker and actress, formerly of “Family Ties.”

In each of the five one-hour episodes, two mothers with very different types of households swap lifestyles and children in a week-long challenge. In the first part of the swap, each mom moves into the other’s home and adopts their new celebrity family’s lifestyle, no matter how different it may be. They agree to follow a manual written by the departing mother that sets out the rules of their new household – how they parent, manage their social life, do house work, unwind and more. In the second half of the week, everything changes. The new moms take charge. They introduce their own set of rules and get to run the new household their way. It’s a radical shock to both celebrity families. The results are explosive, enlightening, emotional and often very funny. At the end of the show, the two celebrity couples meet for the first time. In a deeply honest and highly-charged exchange of views, both couples make a frank assessment of each other and talk about what they’ve learned from the experience. In the process, everyone discovers what it’s like to live a life quite unlike their own.

“Celebrity Wife Swap” is produced by Zodiak USA. Executive producers include Grant Mansfield, Natalka Znak, Claire O’Donohoe and Bruce Toms.

What do you think? Do you think the introduction of celebrities will save Wife Swap? Are you curious to see an episode or two? Will you tune in?