Beloved 'DWTS' alum to return as guest judge for show’s 20th anniversary special — and we’re all for it
Tom Bergeron is all set to return to ‘Dancing With The Stars.' Yes, you read that right. The original host of the ABC dance competition will be serving as a guest judge on the show’s 20th anniversary special, which is scheduled to air on November 11. The big announcement regarding Bergeron's return to the Ballroom floor was officially made on Wednesday morning after Tuesday's Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Night episode aired. While appearing on the latest episode of 'Good Morning America', Bergeron candidly spoke about his return to 'DWTS' and said, “It feels really good. I’m really looking forward to it.”
On November 5, 'DWTS' also confirmed Bergeron's return with an Instagram post. The caption of the post read, "#DWTS welcomes the legendary @tombergeron as Guest Judge for our 20th Birthday Party! 🎉 #DWTS20." Soon after, fans bombarded the comments section with a flurry of messages. One social media user wrote, "I have no words right now. I love you, Tom." A second user penned, "Literally soooo excited!!!! This is perfect!!" Another netizen went on to say, "Very excited and it's great to see Tom Bergeron is back in the ballroom as a guest judge! Wow!"
For the unversed, Bergeron previously hosted the show 'Dancing With The Stars' for the first 28 seasons before his shocking departure in 2020. Bergeron was fired from the show due to a disagreement with producers over the casting of Sean Spicer. During his latest interview with TV Insider, Bergeron shed light on his return to the beloved dance show and shared, "Well, I have to give all credit to Conrad Green, who was my first showrunner back when we premiered in 2005. And I’m happy to say he’s back in that role currently, and boy, has he righted that ship. I mean, wow. The numbers, I texted [executive producer] Deena Katz, and I said, 'I’m particularly enjoying watching the show beat The Voice.'”
Elsewhere in the interview, Bergeron was asked if he was taking notes in preparation for his upcoming guest judging appearance on 'DWTS' Season 34, Episode 9, which has been titled 'The 20th Birthday Party.' Responding, Bergeron quipped, "No, and as a matter of fact, I’m really curious to see what it is the judges are writing all the time. You know, Carrie Ann has a journal that Tolstoy would envy, and Bruno and Derek are writing stuff. To me, that’s like texting when you’re driving. Watch the dance. You’ll remember what happened."
