See Tom Bergeron Return to Dancing With the Stars After 5 Years

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Tom Bergeron has waltzed his way back into the ballroom.

The former host of Dancing With the Stars made a special appearance on the show’s 20th anniversary celebration. They returned as a guest judge, making a dramatic entrance right after the professional dancers finished their opening number.

The 70-year-old announced, “Welcome from Hollywood! We’re celebrating the 20th anniversary of Dancing With the Stars!”

Current cohost Julianne Hough teared up while welcoming him with her counterpart Alfonso Ribeiro. 

“Hi, sweetheart,” Tom said. “I’m thrilled to be here tonight. It’s such a rush.”

Everyone was excited to see Tom back on the show after his dramatic departure in 2019, especially since he was returning in a new capacity. He wasn’t the only familiar face, though! Original dance professionals Alec Mazo, Charlotte Jorgensen, Jonathan Roberts, Ashly DelGrosso, Edyta Sliwinska, and Louis van Amstel also came back for the special “Birthday Party” episode.

This week’s episode has a big surprise! Instead of dancing with their usual partners during the relay round, the celebrities will perform a Quickstep, Viennese Waltz, or Jive with a previous winner of the competition.

Before revealing his scores for the remaining contestants – Alix Earle, Robert Irwin, Whitney Leavitt, Dylan Efron, Andy Richter, Elaine Hendrix, and Jordan Chiles – he explained why he was leaving the show.

Tom recently told The Hollywood Reporter that he didn’t get along with the show’s creator. ‘He knew that,’ Tom said. ‘I didn’t appreciate being misled, and he did that.’ He also revealed that when the showrunner was fired, he tweeted about it, saying, ‘Karma is a bh.’

Considering Tom’s issues with how the show was made, why did he agree to return to ‘Dancing with the Stars’? It seems he was pleased when Conrad Green – the original executive producer of the show – returned to lead season 31. Green had left ‘DWTS’ after season 27, following his time hosting ‘America’s Funniest Home Videos’.

I’m really pleased with the current leadership team,” he said. “However, if things had been different, I wouldn’t have been interested in returning for the 20th anniversary if someone else had been in charge.

He explained that Conrad’s presence is a major factor in the show’s success. “Just look at what’s happening,” he said. “It’s become popular again and is achieving things that are rare for a show that’s been on for twenty years. Ratings are through the roof.”

Tom expressed his surprise at the show’s recent popularity, saying it was a truly unexpected triumph. He joked that it was like witnessing something incredibly rare – ‘You’re more likely to see a zebra playing the piano!’

As Tom and other former contestants return to dancing, here’s the latest on more people from Dancing With the Stars who have left the show…

Artem admitted he was very surprised and upset when he found out he wouldn’t be competing professionally in season 28. He described the conversations about his departure, which he had with then-partner Nikki Bella on The Bellas Podcast, as being very difficult.

The popular professional, who’s been working in the field since 2014, received the news just days before the official cast list was released. He described it as a painful experience, comparing it to a breakup. ‘I gave that company ten years of my life,’ he explained, ‘and to be let go three days before the announcement felt like a real gut punch.’

He then came back for seasons 29-32, even winning one with Kaitlyn Bristowe.

Sharna, a professional dancer who previously won season 27 with Bobby Bones and had been a runner-up three other times over her 12 seasons on the show, shared her reaction on Instagram after not being chosen as a pro for season 28.

She shared that her time on the show felt like a coming-of-age experience. She expressed how much she’ll miss the creative process, telling stories through dance, and the joy of helping others transform through movement. She also said she’ll cherish the daily inspiration she received from her ‘Dancing with the Stars’ family and watching their talent.

Sharna has been announced as the newest judge on the Australian version of the popular reality dancing competition, and she’s hinted at some exciting things to come on the show.

She returned for seasons 29 and 30 and was paired with Brian Austin Green, whom she started dating during that time.

Derek is considered one of the show’s most beloved professional dancers, and he’s won more mirrorball trophies than anyone else – a total of six. He’s also a highly acclaimed choreographer, having won four Emmy Awards for his work.

He was a professional dancer on the show for many seasons, starting with season 5 and continuing through season 21. He took a break during season 12 to film a movie, but returned for seasons 13-21 and then again for season 23, which was his last. Interestingly, he wasn’t originally planned for season 20, but unexpectedly joined and juggled his commitments with a Broadway performance.

I’ve been a huge fan of Derek Hough ever since I first saw him on World of Dance, Jennifer Lopez’s amazing dance competition! It was so exciting to watch him judge, and then I was thrilled when he joined the judging panel on Dancing with the Stars starting with season 29. He’s just fantastic!

After three seasons and two wins, Julianne announced she was leaving the ABC reality hit. 

You know, I really wanted people to see me as a serious musician, so I stepped away from Dancing with the Stars for a bit. I didn’t want to be seen just as a dancer! But I definitely left the door open, and ended up returning in season eight when my boyfriend at the time, Chuck Wicks, was a contestant. We had a great time, finishing in sixth place, but that season ended up being my last as a professional dancer. Luckily, I loved being involved with the show so much that I came back later as a permanent judge for seasons 19 through 21, and again for seasons 23 and 24. It was a wonderful experience!

Julianne Hough, previously married to hockey player Brooks Laich, was a judge on NBC’s America’s Got Talent. She then returned to Dancing with the Stars in 2023 as a co-host.

Mark joined the show in its fifth season and danced professionally for an incredible 18 seasons, winning two championships. He took a break for seasons 23 and 24 to perform as Frankie Valli in Jersey Boys on Broadway, but returned for season 25 and finished as the runner-up with Lindsey Stirling.

Mark then turned his attention to music, collaborating with his wife, BC Jean. Together, they formed the duo Alexander Jean and signed a record deal.

He returned for season 31 with Charli D’Amelio and season 34 with Whitney Leavitt.

Oh my gosh, Karina was a total pro on the show for SO long – seasons 3 through 9! It felt like forever, and then she took a little break in season 10, which was so sad. But she came back, and danced in NINE seasons straight after that! Then she took another quick break in season 20, but she explained it was because she wanted to try some new things, like… writing a book! Can you believe it? Karina, the author! I’m so proud of her for pursuing all her dreams, even while being an amazing dancer!

She ended up returning for two more outings, but Karina officially left DWTS after season 22.

After retiring from dancing, Smirnoff appeared on the reality show Famously Single and eventually returned to professional dancing. In 2017, she explained that she still enjoyed her time on the ABC series and hadn’t completely ruled out the possibility of joining it again.

Dancing with celebrities on the show is fun, but it’s a unique dynamic. You end up being more than just a dance partner – you’re also their coach, offering support and encouragement. It’s different from performing with a professional partner, where you’re equals and the performance feels more balanced. I really missed that feeling of partnership when I was dancing with celebrities.

Oh, Maks.

This dancer is one of the show’s biggest stars, but he’s also known for disagreeing with the judges and occasionally having difficult relationships with his celebrity partners. He’s left and come back to the show multiple times, starting in 2012 when he initially announced his departure to focus on acting.

After fifteen seasons, he questioned what more he could contribute, telling the New York Post it was understandable that both he and the audience wouldn’t expect him to continue. He felt the producers shouldn’t expect him to stay either.

He came back for season 18 and finally won with Meryl Davis, but left the show immediately after. He rejoined for seasons 23 through 25, but famously missed a performance when paired with Vanessa Lachey.

Maks is now married to professional dancer Peta Murgatroyd, and when he wasn’t competing, he sometimes appeared as a guest judge on the show.

This popular contestant first appeared in the second season and participated in every season until she won in season nine. She took a break for season ten, then competed for six seasons straight before taking another three seasons off.

Luckily, she came back for season 20 and was partnered with Robert Herjavec from Shark Tank – they eventually married! After they fell in love, Kym took a few seasons off, then returned for one last season as a professional dancer in season 24.

I was so happy when Kym announced she was expecting twins back in January 2018! She said she was retiring from professional dancing – she actually said she’d ‘hung up’ her dancing shoes ‘for good’ – but she left the door open to maybe coming back to Dancing With the Stars in a different role, which I’m really hoping happens!

She expressed interest in returning to the show in some capacity, perhaps as a judge or in another role, and she later made a guest appearance as a judge on season 34.

Cheryl first appeared on the show in its second season and went on to become the first woman and the first competitor ever to win two seasons in a row. After an impressive run of 18 seasons, she announced her departure before season 20. It was reported that she was considering a new variety show with NBC, though that project never materialized. She returned for season 23, took a break for one season, but ultimately came back for a special season – a landmark moment for both her and the show.

She excitedly announced her return for season 25, saying, “I’m back again!” While she danced with Ryan Lochte last season, she’s been looking forward to this one. This is her 20th season on Dancing With the Stars, and she’s thrilled to be a part of this special anniversary season—season 25—both for the show and for herself.

Cheryl married Matthew Lawrence in May 2019 and returned for season 28, but left the show again in 2022. She later made a guest appearance as a judge on season 34.

Peta first appeared on the show in season 13 and quickly became a beloved contestant. She competed in every season through season 20, even winning once! Unfortunately, a severe ankle injury kept her from competing in season 21.

She made a successful comeback in season 22, winning the competition with her partner, Nyle DiMarco. Then, just six months after having her first child, she competed in season 25 with Nick Lachey before taking another break from Dancing with the Stars.

Peta returned to dancing after taking three seasons off to be with her son, Shai, and former “Dancing with the Stars” partner Maks Chmerkovskiy.

She told US Weekly she was thrilled to be returning, explaining she’d been hoping for this for months. She said everything finally fell into place at the right time for her family. With Maks busy with other projects and their daughter, Shai, well cared for, it felt like the perfect moment.

Her most recent run was on season 32.

Tony Dovolani started competing on Dancing with the Stars in season two and participated for 20 seasons straight, winning once. His last partner on the show was Marla Maples in season 22.

Tony shared on Instagram that he’s leaving the show to dedicate more time to his Dance With Me USA studios and teaching. He’ll also be focusing on performing and making appearances around the country, and says he’ll miss the show and its audience.

The dancer, who first gained recognition on So You Think You Can Dance, became a professional performer on season 19 and continued competing for two more seasons. She took a break during season 22 after announcing her second pregnancy live on Dancing with the Stars with her husband, Stephen “tWitch” Boss, who is also a SYTYCD alum.

Six months after having her baby, Allison came back for her 23rd season, which turned out to be the last of her professional career.

Hey everyone, I wanted to let you all know personally that I won’t be joining Dancing with the Stars this season. I absolutely love my DWTS family and I’m sending all my support and excitement to everyone who is competing – I can’t wait to watch!

Lacey became a professional dancer on Dancing with the Stars after finishing fourth on season three of So You Think You Can Dance. She was a pro on DWTS for seasons 7 through 13, with a brief appearance as a troupe member in season 10.

Following the thirteenth season, Lacey shared that she was departing from Dancing with the Stars to pursue other projects, such as recording an album and launching a clothing line.

I need to take a break and prioritize what’s important right now,” she told SheKnows. “I’m working on better managing my time.”

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2025-11-12 04:19