AMP in the post
It’s a surprising shift, especially for a man who once said “never” when asked about coming back. But as DWTS prepares for its 34th season, Bergeron’s recent comments reveal a man who still cares deeply about the show he helped shape for nearly three decades.
A Catch-Up Over Lunch and a Hint at a Comeback
In a recent interview with USA Today, Bergeron shared that he has been in contact with DWTS executive producer Conrad Green—someone he credits for helping steer the show back to form. “He’s been largely responsible for getting the show back on track,” Bergeron said.
The two recently met for lunch, and during that meeting, the idea of a return came up—not as a full-time host, but possibly for a special appearance.
“We did have lunch, and we did talk, and I offered a scenario where I might come back for a night in a certain capacity,” he explained. “The mirrorball is back in their court.”
Interestingly, Bergeron had previously turned down Green’s invitation to attend the show’s 500th episode special last season. His reason? “I said that I’d get too fidgety sitting in the audience.”
AMP in the post
The Fallout from Season 28: What Really Happened
To understand why Bergeron left in the first place, you have to rewind to Season 28—the point when tensions between him and the producers boiled over. It all came down to casting.
When producers brought on Sean Spicer, the former White House Press Secretary under Donald Trump, Bergeron was not on board. He had explicitly voiced his desire for the show to stay clear of political affiliations.
“I said, ‘Guys, this is exactly what we said we wouldn’t do. Don’t go there,’” he recalled on Cheryl Burke’s Sex, Lies and Spray Tans podcast. “‘Be the show that gives people a break from all this bulls***.’”
The decision to bring Spicer on not only clashed with Bergeron’s vision but also led to an emotional rupture between him and the show.
AMP in the post
“At one point, I even said, ‘How about if I take this season off?’ And they said, ‘Well, we’ll let you out of your contract if you want.’ That’s how strongly they felt about it,” he said.
Eventually, Bergeron took to social media to explain his disappointment. He expressed that he had hoped Season 28 “would be a joyful respite from our exhausting political climate and free of inevitably divisive bookings from ANY party affiliations.”
That post reportedly ruffled feathers among the show’s leadership. Reflecting on it now, Bergeron admitted, “They had screwed me. I’m gonna screw them. But I wanted the viewers to know this was a step too far to me.”
He made it clear that his stance wasn’t partisan. “Had it been a Democrat, same statement,” he said.
Life After DWTS and What’s Next
Since leaving DWTS, Bergeron hasn’t disappeared from the spotlight entirely. He’s kept busy with other projects, including an upcoming Shark Week special titled Dancing With Sharks. But the ballroom has always lingered in the background—and now, maybe, it’s calling again.
Back in 2023, when asked whether he would ever return to DWTS, Bergeron was firm: “No, never. Because it’s not the same show. It’s not the same world.” At the time, he saw no point in going back. “Let the show either exist with the fresh blood that it has now or die a natural death.”
Yet, time heals—or at least softens—some wounds. And now, Bergeron seems more open to the idea of a cameo, not out of nostalgia, but perhaps as a gesture of closure, or even a playful return to the space that defined such a large part of his career.
Dancing Forward
As Dancing With the Stars gears up for its 34th season—with contestants like Alix Earle, Robert Irwin, and The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives stars Jennifer Affleck and Whitney Leavitt already announced—the door seems slightly ajar for a Bergeron moment. Whether or not he walks through it is up to the show now.
“The mirrorball,” as he put it, “is back in their court.”
Be sure to catch up on everything happening with Tom Bergeron right now. Come back here often for all Tom Bergeron spoilers, news, and updates.
[…] for the rest of the rumored Dancing With the Stars cast, they seem more likely to be people-pleasers. For example, Danielle […]