Major 24 casting alert:

Katee Sackhoff - best known for her iconic role of Starbuck on Battlestar Galactica - will play a key role on the show next season.

The actress will come aboard as Dana Walsh, a data analyst at the new New York branch of CTU. Entertainment Weekly reports the character will be in a relationship with fellow agent Davis Cole (Freddie Prinze. Jr.). She'll also be holding a major secret.

The eighth season of 24 will premiere on January 7, 2010. It will center on an assassination plot against a visiting foreign leader (Slumdog Millionaire's Anil Kapoor).

In addition to Sackhoff and Prinze, new actors on the series will include:

• Mykelti Williamson
• Jennifer Westfeldt
• Chris Diamantopoulos

Matt Richenthal is the Editor in Chief of TV Fanatic. Follow him on Twitter and on Google+.