Tom Bergeron Reveals Which “Dancing with the Stars” Winner Almost Took Over for Him as Host Before Tyra Banks
Tom Bergeron Reveals Which “Dancing with the Stars” Winner Almost Took Over for Him as Host Before Tyra Banks
Brenton BlanchetMon, March 16, 2026 at 3:59 PM UTC
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Tom Bergeron hosts 'Dancing with the Stars' in November 2019Credit: Eric McCandless via Getty -
Tom Bergeron said a former Dancing with the Stars champ nearly took over his job after his 2020 departure
Ultimately, it "didn't work out" for the winner and the gig went to Tyra Banks, before current co-hosts Alfonso Ribeiro and Julianne Hough eventually took over
Bergeron made his return to the DWTS ballroom in November as part of the show's 20th anniversary
Tom Bergeron is reflecting on his Dancing with the Stars exit six years later.
The show's former longtime host, 70, revealed on the Wednesday, March 11, episode of Bobby Bones' The BobbyCast that Bones — who won the show in 2018 alongside dance partner Sharna Burgess — was in talks to take over for him upon his departure.
After Bergeron and his co-host at the time, Erin Andrews, were let go from the series in 2020, ABC announced that Tyra Banks would replace them. She served as host for three seasons. Now, the show's current co-hosts are Alfonso Ribeiro and Julianne Hough.
"Before they went to Tyra Banks to replace me, they went to you," Bergeron said to Bones, 45.
Tom Bergeron; Bobby BonesCredit: JC Olivera/Getty; Sarah Kerver/Getty
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Bones then said "in full transparency" that he was "told you were leaving," though Bergeron reiterated that he was let go.
"That was not the conversation they had with me," Bones said. "It was, 'Hey, Tom is leaving at the end of this season. Would you want to come and host Dancing with the Stars?' And I said, 'I think that would be great.' But, again, I respected you so much. I was like, 'Hey, can I talk to Tom and get advice on this decision?' And they were like, 'Contractually, we don't think you should do that.'"
While it ultimately "didn't work out" for Bones, despite "multiple conversations" about the gig, he learned about Banks, 52, signing on as host via a post on Twitter.
"We walked through all of that? Then out of nowhere ... I never had it so they didn't take it from me, but every indication was I was going to be that guy," Bones said. "But it's fleeting. That industry is so fleeting."
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PEOPLE has reached out to a spokesperson for Dancing with the Stars for comment.
Elsewhere during the pair's latest conversation, Bones reflected on how he got his "feelings hurt" when Bergeron made what he previously called “hurtful” comments to Parade.
In November, Bergeron said he was most “shocked” Bones won DWTS' 27th season after being asked about shocking eliminations. Bones also said he sent his Mirrorball trophy “back to ABC” following criticism of his win.
Bones kicked off the pair's latest conversation with, "Why do you hate me?" before Burgeron jokingly said the podcast should be titled "Friendship Cleanup on Aisle 2."
"I felt terrible that the way I phrased my honest surprise at your win. I think the question to me was 'What's the most shocking elimination,'" Bergeron said. "Honestly, I'm at the point where I hide my own Easter eggs so I couldn't remember an elimination. And I wish I had said, 'Well this wasn't a shock, but it was a surprise....'"
Ultimately, Bergeron said he "felt terrible" about how it all played out.
Bergeron made his return to the DWTS ballroom back in November to celebrate the series' 20th anniversary as an "honorary guest judge." He previously told TV Insider that he anticipated the night would be "wonderfully emotional, nostalgic."
"It’s so much fun to watch my friends do the work," he joked. "I don’t have to throw to commercials. I don’t have to worry about the timing. I’ll be respectful and sensitive of what Alfonso has to deal with, ’cause I’ve been there," he added.
"But I’m just looking forward to being in an environment surrounded by people I really care about on live television, where there’s no second take," he said. "It’s my happy place."
on People
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
