Tyra Banks’ Rep Responds to Report She’s Banned ‘Real Housewives’ From ‘Dancing With the Stars’

Tyra Banks’ representative is shooting down reports that the new Dancing With the Stars host and executive producer barred Real Housewives stars from competing on the ABC dance competition show. In a statement to Page Six, Banks’ longtime publicist, Elana Rose, said Thursday, “This is 100 percent untrue.”

“[Banks is] a huge fan of the Housewives and everyone knows Tyra is a businesswoman first,” Rose continued. “As a businesswoman, why would she say anything against the Housewives? She has nothing to do with casting.” Banks joined the show this summer after longtime hosts Tom Bergeron and Erin Andrews were let go, but it’s been years since a Housewife competed on the show, with Erika Jayne appearing on Season 24 in 2017. Also having thrown their diamond in the ring for the Mirrorball Trophy are Jayne’s Real Housewives of Beverly Hills co-stars Lisa Vanderpump and Lisa Rinna, as well as Real Housewives of Atlanta stars NeNe Leakes, Kim Zolciak Biermann and Kim Fields. Banks has another tie to the Housewives in RHOA‘s Eva Marcille, who got her start on America’s Next Top Model.

After a report circulated Thursday that Banks was against casting Housewives on DWTS, a number of the franchise’s stars spoke out on social media, including Real Housewives of Potomac‘s Ashley Darby. “Hearing that RHs are allegedly ‘banned’ from performing on #DWTS was a bummer, but I still have my eyes on the prize! I’ll be on that dance floor one day!” she wrote on Instagram.

Real Housewives of New York City alum Bethenny Frankel tweeted, then quickly deleted, “Good to know [Tyra Banks] has clumped me in her no more housewives mandate on [DWTS]. Also good to know-their casting director Deena, who I [love] has asked me to be on that show multiple x [times] in the last decade. I’m also no longer a housewife, but nobody is bigger than the game Tyra.”

“I deleted that last post Bc I really like & have a great relationship with Deena Katz from #DWTS,” Frankel then tweeted. “If [Tyra] wants to come on my podcast, she is welcome anytime as she has built a successful brand on her own in her own way. #justbwithbethenny.”

Competing as the Top 10 couples on the ongoing Season 29 of Dancing With the Stars are Monica Aldama and Val Chmerkovskiy, Kaitlyn Bristowe and Artem Chigvintsev, Skai Jackson and Alan Bersten, Justina Machado and Sasha Farber, AJ McLean and Cheryl Burke, Jeannie Mai and Brandon Armstrong, Nelly and Daniella Karagach, Nev Schulman and Jenna Johnson, Chrishell Stause and Gleb Savchenko, and Johnny Weir with pro Britt Stewart.