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Bergeron's DWTS Return: Shocking Comeback After Exit
15 Sep
Summary
- Tom Bergeron returned as a guest judge in November 2025.
- He left the show in July 2020 after 15 years as host.
- A dispute over casting Sean Spicer reportedly led to his exit.
Tom Bergeron returned to the Dancing With the Stars ballroom as a guest judge for the show's 20th-anniversary celebration on November 11, 2025. This appearance marked his first time back since his departure in July 2020, after hosting the show for 15 years and 28 seasons.
ABC and BBC Studios announced Bergeron and co-host Erin Andrews would not return for season 29, citing a need for a "new creative direction." Bergeron expressed his surprise on social media, calling his time on the show "the most unexpected gift of my career."
Bergeron later revealed that his final season, 2019, was "not a pleasant" experience, and the show he left was not the one he loved. He indicated that tensions escalated significantly when producers insisted on casting former White House press secretary Sean Spicer for season 28, despite Bergeron's concerns about politicizing the show.
Bergeron's decision to publicly criticize the Spicer casting without informing producers directly reportedly contributed to his eventual release from the show. He later accepted an invitation from original showrunner Conrad Green to return as a guest judge, describing the offer as an "olive leaf."
