Tom Bergeron already had plans to leave Dancing With the Stars before the longtime host’s sudden firing in 2020.
The former ABC host, 70, was let go ahead of Season 29 of the dance competition show alongside co-host Erin Andrews after having criticized the series for casting former White House press secretary Sean Spicer in Season 28.
Videos by PopCulture.com
Friday, Bergeron told TV Insider he had already been planning to exit as DWTS host following Season 30.
โAs circumstances played out, I left two seasons before. But those seasons were during COVID, so what wouldโve been my last twoโI wouldโve hated them,โ he said. โEverything I loved about the show, the camaraderie, hanging outโnone of that wouldโve been available. Iโm glad it didnโt end that way.โ

He added, โAnd not surprisingly, the showrunner that I locked horns with didnโt last much longer anyway.โ
Tyra Banks would replace Bergeron and Andrews, after their firing, hosting solo for two seasons before Alfonso Ribeiro was added as her co-host. The supermodel then exited the show after Season 31, with Julianne Hough signing on to host alongside Ribeiro in a partnership that continues to this day.
“Iโm a big Alfonso advocate. When I decided to leave Americaโs Funniest Videos, I [told] ABC, ‘This is the guy who should follow me,’” said Bergeron of the current DWTS host. “He had just come off the win. Heโs the perfect family-friendly host. Weโve stayed good friends.”
While Bergeron’s time on DWTS might not have ended quite as he had planned, the former host said he isn’t ruling out a possible return.

โConrad Green, whoโs the showrunner now, was my first showrunner. When the show hit its 500th episode, he [asked], โWould you come and sit in the audience?โ And I said, โNo, Iโd get too fidgety,โโ Bergeron explained. โBut we had lunch six weeks ago [prior to this interview], and I presented to him a scenario in which I would come back for one night.โ
He continued, โIโm going full Ringo: peace and love. I have great fondness for the impact thatย DWTSย had on my career and the friendships that resulted.โ
Dancing With the Starsย Season 34 premieres Tuesday, Sept. 16 at 8 p.m. ET on ABC and Disney+. Episodes are available to stream the next day on Hulu.