‘Dancing With the Stars’: If Tom Bergeron and Erin Andrews Will No Longer Host, Who Will?
Dancing With the Stars will never be the same. On July 13, it was revealed that Tom Bergeron and Erin Andrews would not return for the next season of the dance competition. While many fans are saddened to learn this news, many have started to wonder who will replace the iconic hosting duo.
Tom Bergeron has hosted ‘Dancing With the Stars’ for 15 years
Given his track record as the host on shows like Hollywood Squares and America’s Funniest Home Videos, Bergeron was a natural cast for Dancing With the Stars. Since June 2005, Bergeron has hosted the iconic dance competition with poise and grace. Fans have come to love his kindness toward contestants and, of course, his comedic timing.
According to a statement from ABC and BBC Studios, the decision to leave the show was not Bergeron’s. “Tom Bergeron will forever be part of the Dancing with the Stars family,” the statement read (via Entertainment Tonight). “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.”
As Bergeron’s representative explained in a statement to ET, “ABC opted not to pick up Tom’s option. In the fine tradition of Hollywood cliches, they’re ‘going in a different direction.'”
Erin Andrews is also moving on from ‘DWTS’
Before becoming a co-host on Dancing With the Stars, Andrews was a contestant during the show’s 10th season. Andrews partnered with pro dancer Maksim Chmerkovskiy and came in third place.
“Erin will also not be returning, and we appreciate all that she brought to the ballroom,” the ABC/BBC Studios statement read. “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.” Andrews joined the DWTS roster as a co-host starting in season 18, working simultaneously as a sportscaster for ESPN and later, FOX.
Fans, contestants, and the pros will miss Tom Bergeron and Erin Andrews
When the news broke that the hosting duo wouldn’t return for another season, the show’s famed professional dancers and former contestants sent their love on Twitter and Instagram. “You’re both superstars and I’ve loved both working with you and watching you work,” pro dancer Sharna Burgess wrote on Instagram. “Here’s to all the memories and all the laughs and all the tears… Cannot wait to see what’s next for you two. Big big love and tons of gratitude.”
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Season 21 winner Bindi Irwin, Queer Eye‘s Karamo Brown, and Back to the Future‘s Lea Thompson — amongst others — also celebrated Bergeron’s time on the show.
Who will host ‘Dancing With the Stars’ next season?
At this time, ABC and BBC have yet to announce who will replace Bergeron and Andrews. While filling this duo’s shoes will be tough, as they say, “the show must go on.”
UPDATE: Tyra Banks will be the new host of Dancing With the Stars, ABC announced July 15. As a longtime fan, Banks said she is excited to be part of the “fun mixed with raw emotion” in a statement released by ABC. She’s also eager to see “celebrities push past their comfort zones” and, of course, “the sizzling dance performances.”
Fans are excited to see how Banks handles her new role as host.
