“Dancing with the Stars” is going to look very different whenever it returns this fall. The ouster of both Tom Bergeron — with the show since its premiere — and co-host Erin Andrews in favor of Tyra Banks is just the surface bling.
The “America’s Next Top Model” creator will be doing more than just helming the broadcast when it returns for its upcoming 29th season, she’s also a fresh, new executive producer on the show.
That gives her creative input as “DWTS” tries to evolve in a new decade, and deal with an ongoing pandemic. As ABC described it in their press release confirming Bergeron and Andrews’ departure, the show is going in “a new creative direction.”
For now, though, that creative direction at least appears poised to keep Carrie Ann Inaba on the judging dais. Whether or not she’ll be joined by longtime judges Len Goodman and Bruno Tonioli may be up in the air, though she says that is the plan, depending on any coronavirus-related travel restrictions.
Still, the shock of the reveal — which left fans reeling — came as quite a blow to Inaba. In an episode of “The Talk” slated to air next Tuesday, she said per ET, “I cried when I heard the news, as well as, I think a lot of our fans did”
She further said that her heart breaks for “Tom and Erin.” At the same time, though, Inaba is confident and hopeful that Banks will prove a positive addition to the storied franchise.
That said, though, she does take issue with some of the words that have been thrown around after it was announced Banks was stepping into that hosting position.
For one thing, Banks was announced as the first Black host for the show, which Inaba says isn’t entirely accurate. “Season 1 we had Lisa Canning,” she pointed out, who co-hosted alongside Bergeron, much like Andrews has done for the last six years.”
Bergeron acnowledged Canning’s role as well, in a tweet of their time together where he assured fans he’s definitely not drunk.
As for Banks, Inaba also took issue with her ethnicity coming into the discussion at all. Instead, she says Banks is the show’s “new host. Period. It has nothing to do with the color of her skin.”
Beyond that, Inaba appears hopeful that Banks’ EP hat will allow her to really push the show creatively. “She’s like a visionary, she’s a strong, powerful woman,” Inaba said. “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.”
Banks shared some of that energy she’s bringing to the show — while teasing changes — during an appearance on “Good Morning America” on Wednesday.
“It is gonna be so 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.”
Inaba says announcements about judges, and possibly other details about how the pandemic will impact production, should be coming in the next few weeks.
As for Bergeron and Andrews, they’re clearly in good spirits about the whole thing. While sharing memories of his time with the show on his Twitter feed, Bergeron acknowledged Banks taking over by noticing they share the same initials in the funniest way.
Andrews quickly picked up on that, keeping things light and reminding fans of all the joy they brought to the show with their quick wits and banter.
