Why Tom Bergeron Agreed to DWTS Return After Shocking Firing

Five years after his Dancing with the Stars firing, Tom Bergeron is still tango-ed up in his feelings.

The former host admitted to being very upset about the 2020 dismissal, telling The Hollywood Reporter in a November 10th interview, “I’ll be honest, I didn’t get along with the showrunner. He knew that, and I didn’t appreciate being misled. So, when he was fired—back when people were still actively using Twitter—I posted that karma had come back to bite him.”

I’m so thrilled! It’s amazing that Conrad Green, the original showrunner who briefly left after season 27 but thankfully came back for season 31, is back at the helm. This means Tom is finally going to be able to dance on the show for its 20th anniversary episode on November 11th, and I can’t wait to see him quickstep into the ballroom!

I’m really pleased with the current leadership team. However, if things had been different, the 20th anniversary celebration wouldn’t have been enough to get me involved again.

Honestly, it’s amazing to me! He actually said if the old producers were still in charge, he never would have agreed to do this season – the 34th one, can you believe it?! At 70 years old, he’s still going strong, but he made it so clear he wouldn’t have touched it with the previous team. It’s like, thank goodness things changed, right?

He explained that the show’s success was largely due to Conrad’s involvement. “It’s clear he’s making a difference,” he said. “The show is really popular again, achieving things that are rare for a program that’s been on for twenty years. Their ratings have been incredible.”

He said their success is incredibly rare – you’d have better luck seeing a zebra play the piano.

TopMob News has reached out to ABC for comment and has not yet heard back.

Tom left the show after 15 years because the network chose Sean Spicer, Donald Trump’s former Press Secretary, to compete on season 28.

Tom recalled telling a showrunner and their boss during two lunches in the summer of 2019, as he shared on Cheryl Burke’s podcast, Sex, Lies and Spray Tans, in October 2023: ‘With the 2020 election coming up and the country already so divided, please don’t bring politics into the show. Let us be a fun escape for viewers for just two hours a week, regardless of their political beliefs.’

Although he said that both execs agreed with his opinion, casting continued forward with Sean.

A few weeks later, I received a call. They started listing the guests for the show, and the former showrunner warned me, ‘You might want to sit down for this one.’ Then they told me it was the former press representative for Trump. I immediately said, ‘This is exactly what we agreed not to do. Let’s avoid this topic. Now isn’t the time, and we should focus on being a show that offers people a positive escape.’

Ahead of the 29th season, Tom announced that he and the network had parted ways.

In 2020, he announced on X that he was leaving Dancing With the Stars. He called his 15 years with the show an amazing and unexpected opportunity, and said he was thankful for the friendships he made. He jokingly wondered what he’d do with all the sparkly masks he’d collected.

Now, as fans await Tom’s return, keep reading for more Dancing With the Stars exits.

Artem was surprised and disappointed to learn he wouldn’t be competing professionally in season 28. He described the conversations about his departure as difficult, sharing his feelings on The Bellas Podcast with his then-girlfriend, Nikki Bella.

The popular performer, who’s been a professional since 2014, received the news just days before the official cast list was released. He described it as feeling like a breakup, despite the good memories he had with the company after dedicating a decade of his life to them. He said finding out he was let go three days before the announcement felt like a painful shock.

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

As a pro dancer on “Dancing with the Stars” for twelve seasons, I was definitely surprised and disappointed not to be asked back for season 28. After all, I’d just won the previous season with Bobby Bones, and before that, I’d been runner-up three times with other celebrity partners! So, I took to Instagram to share my feelings about the decision. It wasn’t easy, but I wanted to be open with my fans about what happened.

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 performing for the audience. She’ll also cherish the memories of sharing the joy and power of dance with others, and the daily inspiration she received from her ‘Dancing with the Stars’ family and their dedication to their craft.

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.

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

Derek is considered one of the most beloved professional dancers in the show’s history. He’s won the most championships – six mirrorball trophies – and has also received four Emmy Awards for his choreography.

He competed on the show for seasons 5 through 11, took a break in season 12 to film a movie, and then returned for seasons 13 through 21. He wasn’t originally planned for season 20, but made a surprise appearance and juggled his duties with a Broadway show. Season 23 marked his last season as a professional dancer.

Before joining Dancing with the Stars as a judge starting with season 29, he was a judge on Jennifer Lopez’s dance competition show, World of Dance, which aired on NBC.

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

She explained to Ryan Seacrest that she wanted to concentrate on her music and be recognized as a serious artist. While she didn’t say she’d never return to the show, she did eventually come back for season eight when her boyfriend, country singer Chuck Wicks, was a contestant. They finished in sixth place, and that season marked her last as a professional dancer. However, she later rejoined the show as a permanent fourth judge for seasons 19 through 21, and again for seasons 23 and 24.

Julianne Hough, previously married to hockey player Brooks Laich, had been a judge on NBC’s America’s Got Talent before returning to Dancing with the Stars in 2023 as a co-host.

Mark became a professional dancer on the show in season five and remained a fan favorite for 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 to compete in season 25, finishing as the runner-up with Lindsey Stirling.

I was so thrilled when Mark really dove into his music, especially with his wife, BC Jean! They formed this amazing duo called Alexander Jean, and it was incredible to see them get signed to a record label. It felt like all their hard work was finally paying off, and I couldn’t wait to hear what they’d create together.

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

Karina was a professional dancer on the show for seasons 3 through 9, and then took a short break during season 10. She returned for nine more seasons before taking another brief time off in season 20. She explained that she wanted to pursue other projects, including writing a book.

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 closed the door on coming back.

You know, I absolutely adore getting to dance with the celebrities on the show, but it’s honestly a really unique dynamic. It’s so much more than just being a dance partner; I feel like I’m their coach, their confidant, and their biggest supporter all rolled into one! But dancing with my professional partner is different – it’s a partnership of equals, and we push each other to be our best. I really missed that feeling of shared strength and collaboration when I was paired with the celebrities. It just wasn’t the same kind of performance, and I found myself longing for that connection again.

Oh, Maks.

This dancer, a fan favorite on the show, has a reputation for disagreeing with the judges and occasionally clashing with his celebrity partners. He’s had a rocky journey on the program, leaving and returning multiple times, starting in 2012 when he initially announced his departure to focus on acting.

After 15 seasons, it’s understandable why I’d be ready to move on,” he explained to the New York Post. “Both the audience and the show’s producers should realize I wouldn’t want to continue indefinitely.

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

Now married to professional dancer Peta Murgatroyd, Maks sometimes appeared as a guest judge when he wasn’t competing.

This popular contestant first appeared in the show’s 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.

Thankfully, she came back for season 20 and was partnered with Robert Herjavec from Shark Tank. They eventually fell in love and got married. Kym then took a few seasons off before dancing one last time as a professional in season 24.

Kym announced she was expecting twins in January 2018 and shared that she was retiring from professional dancing. While she said she wouldn’t dance competitively again, she left the door open to potentially returning to Dancing with the Stars in a different role.

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

Cheryl quickly became a standout on the show, making history as the first female professional dancer to win and the first pro to win two seasons in a row, starting in season two. After an impressive 18 seasons, she announced her departure before season 20. While rumors suggested she was considering a role on a new variety show at NBC that never materialized, she returned for season 23, took a season off, and then couldn’t resist coming back for a special season that marked a milestone for both her and the show.

She excitedly announced her return for season 25, saying, “I’m back again!” She reminisced about dancing with Ryan Lochte last season, but expressed how much she’d missed being on the show. This marks her 20th season, and she’s thrilled to be a part of both season 25 of Dancing With the Stars and her own personal milestone.

Cheryl Burke married Matthew Lawrence in May 2019 and returned for season 28 of the show, but she left again in 2022. She made one final appearance as a guest 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 return 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 working towards this for months and really hoping everything would fall into place. She felt the timing was right for her family, as Maks had other commitments and their daughter, Shai, was in good hands. It simply felt like the right moment for everyone.

Her most recent run was on season 32.

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

Tony shared on Instagram that he’s leaving the show, saying he’ll miss performing and connecting with viewers, but he wants to dedicate more time to expanding his Dance With Me USA studios and teaching. He also plans to travel the country for performances and appearances.

The dancer, who first became known on So You Think You Can Dance, became a professional competitor on season 19 and continued 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.

After having my baby, I was so excited to return for season 23. Little did I know, it would end up being my last season as a professional – a bittersweet moment, but a fulfilling end to my career.

I wanted to let everyone – my family, friends, and fans – know that I won’t be on Dancing with the Stars this season,” she shared on Instagram after the new cast was announced. “I love everyone involved with the show and I’m really excited to see all the new contestants compete!”

Lacey became a professional dancer on Dancing with the Stars after finishing fourth on season three of So You Think You Can Dance. She appeared on DWTS for seven seasons (7 through 13), with a brief stint 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 managing my time better.

2025-11-10 23:18

Read More