Turn the ballroom in to a runway Tyra BanksHad big shoes after being replaced Tom BergeronAnd Erin AndrewsThe host of Dancing With the Stars in 2020 — and she took every trial and tribulation in stride.
ABC shocked viewers in July 2020 when it announced that Andrews, Bergeron, and Andrews would no more appear on the dance contest. Former America’s Funniest Home VideosThe host had been on the show since 2005’s season 1, and the sportscaster joined him nine year later, after having competed on season 10. The network announced that Banks had been selected to replace him for season 29 just two days after the news was first reported.
“Tyra is an award-winning multihyphenate whose fierce female prowess and influence across many industries have made an indelible mark,” ABC Entertainment president Karey BurkeThe statement was made at the time. “Her fresh take on America’s favorite dancing competition will surely bring more than a ‘smize’ to fans everywhere.”
Banks is no stranger to reality television, having hosted shows such as America’s Next Top ModelAnd America’s Got TalentIt took her a few months to get used to her new role.
“Tonight I hosted the second episode of Dancing With the Stars that I’m hosting this season, and it wasn’t perfect,” she admitted in a September 2020 TikTok video. “Yeah, I had a lot of fun, but I messed up, I said the wrong words. But the thing is, I kept, kept going.”
The model was again in trouble the next month when she incorrectly announced the bottom two couples because of an issue in the control area. After taking a moment to determine what had gone wrong, she regrouped and began to read the correct results.
“I think Tyra dealt with it amazingly,” DWTSExecutive producer Andrew LlinaresLater told Entertainment Tonight. “I just want to be really clear, this was not Tyra’s fault. It was a behind-the-scenes issue.”
Bruno Tonioli, who has served as a judge on the show since its inception, also rushed to Banks’ defense, telling the outlet, “It’s live television, things like this happen, especially with information coming in from all over the country, voting and calculating in such a small amount of time. Tyra was amazing. … She was really good because she took control of the situation.”
Following DWTS’ switch from ABC to Disney+, the network announced that Banks would be cohosting with Alfonso RibeiroSeason 31.
“So excited to finally reveal this! I’m reuniting with a very special someone I worked with when I was just 19 years old,” Banks, who worked with the actor on Bel-Air’s Fresh PrinceIn July 2022, he posted via Instagram. “I can’t wait to stream live & have crazy fun w/ him!💃🏽🕺🏽”
Scroll down to revisit Banks’ quotes about hosting DWTS!
