Tom Bergeron and Erin Andrews Poke Fun at ‘Dancing With the Stars’ Producer Who Said Keeping Them Was a ‘Real Danger’

Tom Bergeron and Erin Andrews have both poked fun at a Dancing With the Stars producer who recently said that keeping them was a “real danger” to the show. Bergeron was first to comment on the news, sharing a screen shot of a headline about the story, and tweeting, “SEE [Erin,] I TOLD you we shouldn’t have sabotaged the spray tanner!!” Andrews then quipped back, “UGGGGHHH [Tom]! I’m the one that WARNED you that the sequins weren’t shiny enough.” Bergeron then joked that the “sequins chafed” him because he has “very sensitive skin.”

According to Entertainment Tonight, it was executive producer Andrew Llinares who made the “danger” comment to reporters during ABC’s VirtuFall TV panel. He started by first defending the show’s decision to fire Bergeron and Andrews in favor of Tyra Banks. “It’s all about evolution. Any show like this that has been on for many, many seasons needs to continue to evolve,” Llinares said. “So I think changing that host is all about evolution. It was all about making the show feel fresh, making it feel new and make it reach out to a new audience — as well as the audience that’s been there for years.”

Next, he praised the new direction of the show, saying, “I think it’s really refreshed the pace of the show. It’s taken it to a new place, in terms of moving fast and feeling different.” Then Llinares made the controversial statement that had fans upset, and the former hosts cracking jokes. “I think that there’s a real danger when a show has been on for a long time that the audience almost gets bored of the rhythm of it. It doesn’t mean that there’s anything wrong with it, just that it gets a little boring,” he said.

Llinares went on to say, “I think it’s changed the rhythm of the show in a really exciting way. I think Tyra is doing an amazing, amazing job. It’s been wonderful having her energy in the ballroom and her expertise as a host in the ballroom. She’s brought a new life to everything. On July 14, ABC and BBC Studios issued a joint statement, announcing how Bergeron — as well as DWTS co-host Erin Andrews — would no longer be with the show. It was subsequently announced that Banks has taken over as host of the show.