Tom Bergeron Out as ‘Dancing With the Stars’ Host
Co-host Erin Andrews will also not return to the ABC reality competition series.
Tom Bergeron’s dancing days are over.
The longtime and original host of ABC’s Dancing With the Stars took to Twitter on Monday to reveal that the veteran reality competition series will be continuing without him when it returns for its 29th season. Co-host Erin Andrews, who has been with the series since 2014, is also not returning.
“Just informed @DancingABC will be continuing without me. It’s been an incredible 15 year run and the most unexpected gift of my career. I’m grateful for that and for the lifelong friendships made. That said, now what am I supposed to do with all of these glitter masks?” Bergeron posted to his verified account.
ABC and producers BBC Studios confirmed both Bergeron’s and Andrews’ departure with a joint statement Monday: “Tom Bergeron will forever be part of the Dancing With the Stars family. As we embark on a new creative direction, he departs the show with our sincerest thanks and gratitude for his trademark wit and charm that helped make this show a success. Erin will also not be returning, and we appreciate all that she brought to the ballroom. Fans have been rooting for her since she originally competed as a contestant back in 2010, and her signature sense of humor has become a hallmark of the show.”
Bergeron in 2019 was critical of the show’s casting of former White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer. “A few months ago, during a lunch with DWTS‘ new executive producer [Andrew Llinares], I offered suggestions for season 28,” Bergeron wrote. “Chief among them was my hope that DWTS, in its return following an unprecedented year-long hiatus, would be a joyful respite from our exhausting political climate and free of inevitably divisive bookings from ANY party affiliations. I left that lunch convinced we were in agreement. Subsequently (and rather obviously), a decision was made to, as we often say in Hollywood, ‘go in a different direction.'”
Bergeron had a long history with ABC, having also hosted the network’s America’s Funniest Home Videos for 15 seasons. He won an Emmy in 2012 for hosting Dancing.
Dancing is on ABC’s “fall” schedule, though it’s unclear when the new season will launch as several hurdles remain before production amid the novel coronavirus pandemic can truly begin.
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Image Source:*hollywoodreporter.com
Source:hollywoodreporter.com
