‘Dancing With the Stars’: Erin Andrews Reacts to Tyra Banks’ Comments About Taking Over as Host

Erin Andrews has nothing but kind words for Tyra Banks as she responded to her comments about taking over as the Dancing With the Stars host for the upcoming Season 29. The NFL reporter reacted to Banks’ recent comments that it will be “a challenge to step into [Andrew’s] shoes as the new host of Dancing With the Stars” on Thursday’s Watch What Happens Live.

“That’s better than her saying, ‘It’s gonna be easy taking over for this broad!’ So I guess that’s great?” Andrews said, laughing. “I don’t know.” Andrews joined longtime host Tom Bergeron behind the mic in 2014, and the two were the show’s dynamic duo until July, when ABC announced that both would be replaced in favor of Banks. “I think that Tom’s shoes are a little harder to fill. He’s the guy, he’s the quarterback of the ballroom,” Andrews continued to Andy Cohen. “So, that’s nice of her, but he’s the man, and he was the man on that show.”

Banks has had kind words for the show’s original host as well, giving him a message in Entertainment Tonight last week, “Tom, I respect you so much. What you have done for Dancing With the Stars, there’s a reason why it is a successful show. Yes, amazing producers, yes, amazing concepts, but [you]. I hope to do you proud.”

“And if I make mistakes, I want you to hit me up in the DMs and let me know. Like, ‘Girl, you messed that up.’ Because I want to make you proud. Thank you so much,” she continued. Banks will be hosting the first socially distanced season amid the coronavirus pandemic, which will star former 49ers tight end Vernon Davis, The Real’s Jeannie Mai, Netflix’s Cheer coach Monica Aldama, Grammy-winning rapper Nelly, Selling Sunset‘s Chrishell Stause, Disney Channel star Skai Jackson, One Day at a Time actress Justina Machado, Tiger King’s Carole Baskin, Desperate Housewives alum Jesse Metcalfe, Catfish host Nev Schulman, actress Anne Heche, NBA All-Star Charles Oakley, Olympic figure skater Johnny Weir, Backstreet Boys’ AJ McLean and former Bachelorette Kaitlyn Bristowe.

After Banks was named the new host, the America’s Next Top Model host told Good Morning America of the season to come, “It is gonna be so next level. I am having meetings with the producer that I walked in to join, Andrew Llinares, and… he’s like, ‘Tyra, you just don’t know. It’s gonna be next level. We’re doing all this crazy stuff, taking to the next level, but still keeping the stuff that we know America loves. But you need to get ready, ’cause it’s gonna be different.” Dancing With the Stars kicks off Season 29 on Monday, Sept. 14 at 8 p.m. ET on ABC. For more on the upcoming season from PopCulture, click here.