Dancing With the Stars’ host shakeup is bittersweet for Carrie Ann Inaba. On next Tuesday’s episode of The Talk, Inaba opens up about the recent announcement that Tom Bergeron and Erin Andrews won’t be returning to host the ABC dancing competition — and shares her opinion of new host Tyra Banks.
“I feel like it was just such sudden news,” Inaba shares. “My heart breaks for Tom and Erin.”
“I cried when I heard the news, as well as, I think a lot of our fans did,” she continues.
Inaba goes on to set the record straight amid reports that Banks is the first Black host of Dancing With the Stars. “Season 1 we had Lisa Canning [co-host with Bergeron],” she notes. “Also, I don’t think that’s how we should be labeling her. [Banks is] our new host. Period. It has nothing to do with the color of her skin.”
“I think it has to do with all that Tyra Banks is. All the energy she has. She’s like a visionary, she’s a strong, powerful woman,” Inaba says of Banks, who will also executive produce the series. “I think we’re in good hands. It’s different, the fans are going to have to get used to it, I understand that, but I think we should welcome her.”
As for whether Inaba will return to judge the reality competition with Len Goodman and Bruno Tonioli, Inaba says, “as of now, that is the plan.”
“That is the plan, that we’re coming back. But they’re going make the official announcement in a few weeks. They’re just going to keep letting us know all the details,” she shares. “I don’t want people to worry. It seems like everything is OK.”
The Talk’s full segment on DWTS will air on Tuesday’s episode.
On Wednesday’s Good Morning America, Banks teased some of the changes in store for DWTS.
“It is gonna be so next level. I am having meetings with the producer that I walked in to join, Andrew Llinares, and … he’s like, ‘Tyra, you just don’t know. It’s gonna be next level,'” she said. “We’re doing all this crazy stuff, taking it to the next level, but still keeping the stuff that we know America loves. But you need to get ready, ’cause it’s gonna be different.”
