Tom Bergeron Reflects on Shock ‘DWTS’ Exit and Why He’s Making a Return: “If the Previous Regime Was Still in Charge, I Wouldn’t Go Back”

If there was a Mount Rushmore of Dancing With the Stars greats, Tom Bergeron’s face would have already been carved into stone.

The former original host of the competitive ABC ballroom series is making his surprise return to the ballroom for Tuesday night’s 20th anniversary show. Five years ago, Bergeron was fired from the hosting position after he came out in outward opposition of the series casting Donald Trump’s former White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer in season 28.

In the years since his exit, he hasn’t shied away from voicing his frustrations surrounding his departure. That’s why it came to much surprise when Bergeron revealed on Good Morning America last Wednesday that he’d be heading back to the ballroom for the first time since his exit as a guest judge.

Bergeron tells The Hollywood Reporter he’s “thrilled” to step into the new role, but he didn’t sign on just because Tuesday night marks Dancing With the Stars’ 20th anniversary celebration.

“If the previous regime was still in charge of the show, I wouldn’t go back,” he says, explaining that executive producer Conrad Green, who started with the series in season one and returned in season 33, was the one to “extend an olive branch to me.”

Below, Bergeron reflects on his firing five years later, dishes on how his guest judging appearance really came together, what he’s looking forward to with his grand homecoming to the ballroom, and if he’d ever return to Dancing With the Stars to host — or compete.

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Tuesday night marks this 20th anniversary episode for Dancing With the Stars, and it’s truly only right for this episode to mark your return to the ballroom and debut as a guest judge. How did this all come together? Did the show reach out to you, or did you offer this as an idea?

A combination of both, actually. When Conrad Green came back as the showrunner — he had been my first showrunner back in 2005, and he came back on board when, I think it’s fair to say, the show was having a little bit of a rickety period. He kind of put everything back together again, Humpty Dumpty-style (laughs), and he started extending an olive branch to me. First, he invited me to come sit in the audience for the 500th show. While I appreciated the overture, I knew I’d be too fidgety just sitting there. I needed a role where I could cause a little more trouble, and being a guest judge was something I suggested to him at lunch a few months ago. I said, “Look, I’ll charge you a scale, just union scale, and then you make a nice contribution to the Motion Picture and Television Fund.” With those conditions in place, I felt very comfortable. And happily, they met my terms.

What made you want to make this return to the ballroom as a guest judge? Was it this 20th anniversary episode?

To be honest? No. If the previous regime was still in charge of the show, I wouldn’t go back. It was really because Conrad’s there, and you can tell. Just look at what the show is doing. It’s having a resurgence. It’s doing things that I can’t imagine many, if any, 20-year-old shows have done. They’ve been on a ratings tear. I said on Good Morning America, you’re more likely to see a zebra playing the piano than watch the success they’re having.

What has been your reaction to season 34 and the show’s newfound popularity? Why do you think all of a sudden Dancing With the Stars has re-entered the pop cultural zeitgeist and is such a hit?

I think they have very cleverly made it a younger show. You have Derek [Hough] there. We all loved Len [Goodman], but in Len’s absence, Derek was an inspired choice to take the center seat. You have Alfonso [Ribeiro] and Julianne [Hough]. Alfonso doesn’t tell nearly as many dad jokes as I do, so it’s probably working to the show’s benefit. But look who they’re casting. They’re casting influencers and people who, when I was there, would have been, [like], Really? Okay — but it’s working. It’s attracting a younger audience. It feels younger in a lot of ways when I watch it. I think they’ve adapted to the times very well.

Following your exit from the show, you were very vocal that you wanted to remain on as host, and that your exit was out of your hands. It has been five years now since you left the ballroom, so how do you look back at your exit from the series now?

It pissed me off. I’ll be honest with you. I did not like the showrunner. He knew that. I didn’t like being lied to, and he did that. So when he got fired, I think when Twitter was still a thing, I posted, “Karma is a bitch.” So I couldn’t be happier that the people who are running the show now are running the show. But to be honest, the 20th anniversary, in other people’s hands, would not have lured me back.

You have been very open in how you suggested that Dancing With the Stars stray away from casting political figures and bringing politics into the ballroom. Looking back, post-season 28, they’ve shied away from casting politicians and political-adjacent contestants. Because that was a point of contention between you and the showrunners, is it surprising to you that they ultimately took your advice and have not been casting political figures on the show?

Well, I’m pleased. I can’t tell you that I followed the show that closely at all for the first few years after I was fired, so I can’t speak to who was on it, even beyond who was hosting it. What I get a kick out of is when every so often on social media, I’ll see somebody, like, “Well, if Tom hadn’t brought politics into the show, he wouldn’t have got fired.” It’s like: Guys, I was the one who was trying not to bring politics into the show. Even when I released my statement, I was very careful not to mention a political party or Sean [Spicer], because that wasn’t the issue. I even said to Sean, “If they had cast Hillary Clinton — I voted for her, I don’t want her on the show. We’re on the cusp of an election year, in 2019.” It was the wrong move, and after having been assured they wouldn’t do something like that, for them to turn around and do it, that was just the last straw.

Do you still remain true in your stance that Dancing With the Stars should stay away from casting politicians?

Oh my God, yeah, even more so now than then. Look at where we are now — the government is shut down. These people can’t even communicate with each other. I’ve always felt Dancing With the Stars should be the two hours where you can just get away from all the bullshit and enjoy yourself, and have fun and look at the camaraderie of the cast. One of the things that is evident this season, and has been evident in every season that I hosted, is that these are people who are competing against each other, and yet they establish this bond of friendship that survives the show. That’s the kind of energy we should be encouraging. I get the whole canard about, “Well, it shows that they’re real people too.” No, it doesn’t, it just heightens the tensions. I think Dancing With the Stars should be that oasis.

Looking at your guest judging appearance coming up, what can we expect from you as a judge?

Pretty much the same as the way I hosted it. I’m going to react to what’s happening in the moment. I’m not overthinking it. I’ve watched the past few weeks, so I have a sense of who has momentum and who the frontrunners might be. But beyond that, the other three [judges] are going to handle all the technical stuff: hand placement or should you have done a lift, all of that. I’m going for just emotion. What you intended to do with the dance, was it conveyed to me? Was I moved? Did I get choked up? Did I laugh when I was supposed to? That’s what I can bring to it. In terms of how I’ll do it, I’ll find out the same way the audience will — I never know what I’m going to say until I say it.

What element of the 20th anniversary episode are you most looking forward to? Are you excited to be back in the ballroom, or to see certain former pro dancers? What stands out about the night?

One of the things that was always important to me when I hosted the show, and it was why I threw midseason parties for the staff, cast and crew, is that sense of a work family. That sense of camaraderie and community, a bunch of people, hundreds, putting a show together. So the thing that’s exciting me, even more than sitting behind the judges table and being on television, is hanging out with my friends. The TV show part is almost secondary. I know how to do that. And to be honest, maybe I’m fooling myself, but I go into it feeling like it’s another show — I’ll just be in a different place.

This is going to be your first time back in the ballroom without Len there following his passing. How are you feeling about returning to the ballroom without him there?

I adored Len, and I’m a little annoyed that I can’t make fun of the [mirrorball] trophy anymore. They named it after him, and I would never make fun of anything named after Len (Laughs). But look, I just loved the guy. He had such a twinkle and such a sense of authority. When the couples got a 10 from him, even if they got 10s from the other two [judges], it always meant more coming from Len. He was the kind of dad figure among the judges.

Ten years ago, when you were hosting, Bindi Irwin won the show with Derek Hough. Now, her brother is in the ballroom competing. What have you made of Robert [Irwin]’s performance on the show? You were around when Bindi was competing and he was in the ballroom as a young boy.

He was a little kid, I know! I’ve just been so impressed with him. I love that family, so that’s another [element] when I talk about the thing I’m looking forward to — seeing my friend; to see Bindi and Robert and Terry [Irwin]. I’m really looking forward to that. It’s not a surprise that “Win” is part of their name.

Alfonso and Julianne have stepped into these very big shoes to fill from you as a host. Tyra [Banks] stepped into [that spot] originally, but now Alfonso and Julianne are there.

She certainly did! (Laughs.)

What do you think of Alfonso and Julianne’s hosting skills? How do you think they’ve been doing hosting the show?

I think they’ve been doing great. They bring great energy and love for the show. I think viewers can sense that if you’re watching somebody host a program for the paycheck, it doesn’t elicit the same kind of feeling. It can be very subtle, but you’re looking at two people with Alfonso and Julianne who love to be there, who love the show and the people. Alfonso will have cast members and dancers over to his place for Thanksgiving every year, the ones that are away from family and such, continuing, I think they’re still doing the midseason parties I started. They love what they’re doing, and that comes through.

Looking at the pro dancers still on the show from the time when you were the host, is there anyone you’re most proud of where they are in their career now?

I followed Mark [Ballas] from the ballroom to Broadway and now back to the ballroom. And the friendship that he and Derek have [had] since they were kids… the talent that is evident in Mark and so many of those pros. But Mark comes to [mind]. I’m really glad he’s there, it’ll be great to see him.

What do you make of his return back as a pro? He was off [the show] for a few years, and he did make a guest judge appearance as well.

I think the show has a Godfather Part III quality to it. Just when I thought I was out, they pulled me back in (laughs). But that’s because we love it. The fact that I had a bumpy year in no way negates the 14 that were great. Even when I was walking horns with one particular showrunner, it didn’t mean I didn’t love the show anymore. That was a personality clash. That wasn’t an issue I had with the show. It’s sort of like being in a car: You don’t like who’s driving it, but you still love the car.

Looking back on your time as a host, do you have a favorite season that stands out?

Yes, only because it proved to me that it was going to have a life. We did the first season, which was six weeks in the summer, and it kind of blew up. It was like Wow, okay. But we weren’t going to be back with a full season until, I think, February of 2006. There had been a little kerfuffle where people thought John O’Hurley should have won [season one] instead of Kelly Monaco. So they did this rematch thing in September ‘05, which I always thought was questionable, because you’re only addressing a part of the audience that didn’t like the outcome, so you’ve got a smaller size of the slice of the pie going in — and then there’s no guarantee that slice is going to show up that night. The ratings weren’t great, and I think it made us all a little nervous. Okay, maybe we’ve killed the golden goose here. But then when we came back in 2006 with a full season, a new cast and it blew up again. Then I knew. So I think season two was the one where I went, Okay, this is going to be around for a while.

Do you have a favorite performance or contestant of all time?

I really don’t, because there are reasons why I like different people. There are people I became friends with after, or I was a friend with before. Every season there had different qualities, and the winner brought different things into the stew pot. So no one person pops to mind.

Are there any other former theme nights you think the show should bring into this modern era? They used to do trio night; the partner swap. Is there anything you think they should bring back?

Yes, and this is because the ratings have proven it’s time to bring back the results show. I always mourned the loss of that Tuesday show. I thought it made the voting more fair across the country, because the West Coast can’t vote now unless they’re watching on wherever the hell you’d watch it streamed live. The results show was great. It was like a variety show with an elimination at the end. I think the ratings now would really speak to it being time to bring that back.

If Dancing With the Stars came to you and said, “We want you to return as a permanent host,” what would you say?

No, I’m done (laughs). I’m done. They have a permanent host, and he’s really good. I have no desire to host anymore. I’m always open to being surprised, but it would not be that show, because they have great people doing it. But honestly, to go back as a guest judge, I’m just thrilled about. But no, I would never host it again.

Would you ever consider competing on the show as a contestant?

You know the “No” I just gave you about hosting it? Put it even bolder with more exclamation points.

Why not? I think fans would love that.

Because why would I? I know what they go through; I don’t need that kind of aggravation. I have such respect for anybody who [competes on DWTS.] Look at Andy [Richter] this season. Andy has brought his passion, his love for the show, his desire to learn, all of which I think those are foundational elements of why the show works. But it’s a lot of work, and I’m older than Andy. So (laughs) no. I would never do that. I danced once in season two, that was plenty. It was the world’s slowest quickstep and as Len even said, it was better suited for America’s Funniest [Home] Videos.

If there was some alternate universe where you did say yes and you did get cast, which pro dancer would you want to be partnered up with?

I would want somebody with medical training.

You may not be able to answer this because you are about to guest judge, but who do you see winning season 34 of Dancing With the Stars?

Well, definitely one of the remaining couples!

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New episodes of Dancing With the Stars season 34 air and stream on ABC and Disney on Tuesday at 8 p.m., and stream the next day on Hulu. Read more of THR’s DWTS season 34 coverage here.