The original host of Dancing With the Stars (DWTS), Tom Bergeron, is making a return to the show, but not as a host. He shared that he’s going to be “somewhat loose and unpredictable” when he appears in this capacity.
Tom Bergeron discusses Dancing with the Stars return
DWTS’ original host, Tom Bergeron, will return to the show as a judge for a night on “The 20th Birthday Party” episode. Although his appearance is only for a single night, the former host has spoken about his excitement.
Bergeron told TV Insider that he believes that it’s going to be a “wonderfully emotional, nostalgic night.” The Emmy-winning host admitted that he “proposed” returning as a judge for the show’s 20th anniversary.
“I said, ‘Look, I’m just gonna charge you scale, but I want a nice donation to the Motion Picture & Television Fund, and I come back as a guest judge,’” Bergeron recalled. “If I came back and sat in the audience, I’d go crazy. I’m too fidgety and I’m sure I’d make some sort of trouble,” the AFV host added.
Bergeron also credited his return to Conrad Green, DWTS’ first showrunner, who departed from the show in 2014 and rejoined in 2022.
Bergeron was fired from the show in 2020. During an appearance on Cheryl Burke’s podcast, Sex, Lies, and Spray Tans, the host spoke about his disagreement with ABC on casting Sean Spicer, President Donald Trump’s former Press Secretary (via Entertainment Weekly).
Bergeron said that going into an election year, he felt that it wasn’t the “right time” to cast a political figure. Nonetheless, the then-showrunner, Andrew Llinares, brought in Sean Spicer as a celebrity contestant. Due to this decision, the former admitted to feeling “screwed.”
While Bergeron suggested that he should “take the season off,” the showrunners instead decided to terminate his contract. Following his departure, Bergeron then expressed his disappointment and anger in a social media post.
Now, years after Green replaced Llinares as the showrunner, the former host is finally making an appearance in Season 34.
He also shared some details about what fans can expect during his episode. “In the audience will be a number of past champions and competitors,” Bergeron revealed. “There’s a special dance challenge that is going to factor into the anniversary night that will evoke even more nostalgia. It’s going to be great,” he explained.
While talking about his judging style, he said, “It’s going to be very similar to my hosting style: somewhat loose and unpredictable.”
Originally reported by Harsha Panduranga on ComingSoon.
