Former ‘Dancing With The Stars’ Host Tom Bergeron Will Return As A Guest Judge For 20th Anniversary Episode

Tom Bergeron will be returning to the ballroom one last time.

The former Dancing With The Stars host is set to return for the show’s 20th anniversary episode, airing Nov. 11. Bergeron, who hosted the show from 2005 to 2019, will be joining Carrie Ann Inaba, Bruno Tonioli and Derek Hough as a guest host for the anniversary special.

The news was announced Nov. 5 on Good Morning America. “It feels really good,” Bergeron said. “I’m really looking forward to it.”

Bergeron praised the show for lasting 20 years, noting it’s recently gotten “back to its essence.” He continued, “I think 20 years of any primetime show is amazing, but for a show that’s 20 years old that’s also having a ratings resurgence—you’re more likely to see a zebra playing the piano.”

This marks Bergeron’s first time returning to the ABC series since he was let go in 2020.

Bergeron announced his exit on social media at the time, writing, “Just informed @DancingABC will be continuing without me. It’s been an incredible 15 year run and the most unexpected gift of my career. I’m grateful for that and for the lifelong friendships made. That said, now what am I supposed to do with all of these glitter masks?”

After leaving the show, Bergeron admitted that his exit directly stemmed from the show’s controversial decision to cast Donald Trump‘s former White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer during a contentious election cycle.

“I said, ‘Guys, this is exactly what we said we wouldn’t do. Don’t go there. This is, you know, not the right time, play to our strengths, be the show that gives people a break from all this bullshit,’” Bergeron recalled on former DWTS pro Cheryl Burke‘s podcast, Sex, Lies, and Spray Tans.

He and Erin Andrews left Dancing with the Stars in 2020 and were later replaced by Tyra Banks. Alfonso Ribeiro and Julianne Hough now co-host the series together.

But Bergeron recently clarified that he planned to leave the show after Season 30.

“In fact, I encourage you to watch it!” he told a fan on social media of the show’s recent season. “Here’s the thing; even if they HADN’T fired me, I would’ve left after Season 30, when my contract ended. That had always been my plan. The team there now has my full support.”