
For more than 15 years, millions of viewers tuned to ABC each week to watch celebrities tango their way across the ballroom on the hit show Dancing With the Stars. Over the years, the show has featured a number of big-name celebrities like Sugar Ray Leonard, Jerry Springer, Bill Nye (the Science Guy), Toni Braxton, John Ratzenberger, and more. Over the years, the show has not only featured a ton of high-profile names, but has been nominated for more than 100 and won more than a dozen Emmy Awards for things like Outstanding Makeup, Outstanding Hairstyling, Outstanding Technical Direction, and Outstanding Reality Host (Tom Bergeron).
In 2020, Bergeron — who had been the host of Dancing With the Stars since season one — shocked everyone when he announced that he would not be returning to host the show. He said that ABC had decided to end his contract, as well as the contract of his co-host, Erin Andrews. Not long after, ABC announced that supermodel Tyra Banks would be taking over.
For two years, Banks was the sole host of the show, but was then joined by Fresh Prince of Bel-Air star and DWTS season 19 winner, Alfonso Ribeiro. However, after only three seasons as host and just one season of hosting with Ribeiro, The Hollywood Reporter has confirmed that Banks is leaving the show.
The Hollywood Reporter has confirmed the supermodel’s plans to step down as emcee after she told TMZ: “I feel it’s time for me to really focus on my business and entrepreneurship, but also producing more TV but behind the scenes. So, you know what? I think it’s time to graduate from the dance floor to the stock market floor.”
Banks has yet to make her departure official, and her representatives issued no comment beyond her video on TMZ. But the DWTS host recently launched her SMiZE & Dream-branded ice cream product.
In 2022, Disney and ABC announced that, after 30 seasons, Dancing With the Stars would be moving from primetime on ABC to airing live on Disney’s streaming platform, Disney+. The move was a controversial one, but one that Disney seems intent on keeping. Although we don’t have a season 32 premiere date yet, we do know that it will air on Disney+.
Banks isn’t the only big name that won’t be there when season 32 returns. This past November, original judge Len Goodman announced that he would also be leaving the show. It is unlikely that Goodman will be replaced, as last season, there were four judges — with the addition of Derek Hough — as opposed to the traditional three judges that the show typically has. Carrie Ann Inaba and Bruno Tolioni will return as judges as well.