Tom Bergeron on His Surprise DWTS Return, 2019 Firing and Why He Agreed to Come Back

Lead: Former Dancing With the Stars host Tom Bergeron returns to the ballroom as a guest judge for the show’s 20th‑anniversary episode on Tuesday night. Bergeron was dismissed five years earlier after publicly opposing the season‑28 casting of Sean Spicer, and he has since been outspoken about his exit. He says he accepted the invitation only after executive producer Conrad Green — his original showrunner from 2005 who rejoined the series — reached out and helped broker his return. Bergeron also makes clear he has no interest in resuming full‑time hosting duties.

Key Takeaways

• Tom Bergeron will appear as a guest judge on the 20th‑anniversary Dancing With the Stars episode airing Tuesday night; it is his first on‑air return since he was let go five years ago.
• Bergeron was dismissed after opposing the casting of Sean Spicer on season 28 (2019); he has publicly criticized the decision and the showrunner at that time.
• Conrad Green, who produced the series in season 1 and returned in season 33, extended the invitation and helped arrange Bergeron’s conditions to return.
• Bergeron requested a modest union fee and that the production make a donation to the Motion Picture & Television Fund before agreeing to be a guest judge.
• He says he will not seek to reclaim the full‑time host role and is emphatic that he will not compete on the show as a contestant.
• Bergeron praises the current season’s younger casting and production choices, crediting those shifts for the show’s renewed popularity.
• He intends to focus on emotional reaction and storytelling as a judge rather than detailed technical critique.

Background

Tom Bergeron was the original host who helped establish Dancing With the Stars as a mainstream reality format beginning in 2005. The program grew from a short summer run into a long‑running franchise, with Bergeron guiding the series through many of its defining early seasons. Tensions surfaced publicly in 2019 (season 28) when the show cast Sean Spicer, then a politically charged figure, and Bergeron raised objections to that choice.

Following those disputes, Bergeron was removed from the hosting role. The firing prompted commentary across social platforms and in entertainment press, with Bergeron himself voicing frustration over a perceived lack of candor from show leadership at the time. In subsequent seasons the series moved away from political casts and shifted its casting strategy toward influencers and younger names, a change Bergeron now credits for part of the show’s ratings rebound.

Main Event

Bergeron describes an incremental reconciliation: Conrad Green — his first showrunner who returned to the series in season 33 — initiated contact, inviting Bergeron to the 500th episode as a first overture. Bergeron says sitting in the audience didn’t appeal to him; instead, he proposed a guest‑judge spot during a lunch meeting months later. He set conditions: a union‑scale fee and a charitable contribution to the Motion Picture & Television Fund, both of which he says were accepted.

He stresses his decision to participate was driven by Green’s return and a sense that the program has been repositioned creatively. Bergeron told interviewers he would not have agreed to come back under the prior regime, citing a personality clash with the showrunner who led the series at the time of his departure. His return, he frames, is selective and symbolic rather than a wholesale reconciliation.

On the night he will serve primarily as an emotional barometer rather than a technical adjudicator. Bergeron says the remaining judges will handle specifics like lifts and footwork; his role, he explains, is to judge whether a performance communicates intent and moves the viewer. He also emphasizes the personal side of the return — reconnecting with a production community he describes as a work family and spending time with former cast and crew.

Analysis & Implications

Bergeron’s return highlights how leadership changes can reshape long‑running shows’ reputations. Conrad Green’s reappointment appears to have signaled to former staff and talent that the program’s direction has altered, making reconciliation possible without erasing past disputes. For DWTS, bringing Bergeron back provides a narrative of continuity and restoration at a moment when the series is celebrating its longevity.

The choice to steer clear of high‑profile political figures since 2019 is consequential for brand positioning. Bergeron framed the ballroom as an escape from politics, and the producers’ recent casting choices — influencers and younger personalities — align with that escape‑oriented entertainment strategy. That repositioning may help sustain younger audience engagement but could also narrow the show’s appeal among viewers who favored previously broader celebrity lineups.

Financially and reputationally, Bergeron’s stipulation that the production donate to the Motion Picture & Television Fund underscores the growing role of corporate social responsibility in talent negotiations. It also suggests that former hosts can retain leverage over guest appearances when public goodwill and institutional relationships are at stake. For Bergeron himself, a guarded return allows him to participate in a celebrated milestone while maintaining distance from ongoing production leadership and future hosting obligations.

Comparison & Data

The table contrasts the casting approach that precipitated Bergeron’s exit with the later strategy credited with the show’s resurgence. While precise ratings figures are not detailed here, Bergeron and industry observers point to renewed popularity and a younger viewer skew in recent broadcasts.

Reactions & Quotes

Bergeron framed his decision bluntly: he would not have returned had the earlier leadership remained in place.

Tom Bergeron / interview with The Hollywood Reporter

On his judging approach he said he plans to respond to feeling and intent rather than technical minutiae — aiming to say whether a performance landed emotionally.

Tom Bergeron / interview with The Hollywood Reporter

Reflecting on the dispute that led to his exit, Bergeron noted he felt vindicated after the prior showrunner’s departure and expressed relief at the current production’s direction.

Tom Bergeron / public remarks reported by The Hollywood Reporter

Unconfirmed

• Whether Bergeron will make additional on‑air appearances beyond the 20th‑anniversary episode remains unconfirmed; no multi‑episode arrangement has been announced.
• Details of any private reconciliation conversations between Bergeron and the prior showrunner have not been publicly disclosed.
• Longer‑term casting plans for future seasons (for example, whether the show will permanently avoid political figures) have not been officially codified by producers.

Bottom Line

Tom Bergeron’s guest‑judge return is both symbolic and strategic: it signals a partial mending of relationships while spotlighting the creative pivot that producers say has revitalized the series. His conditions for coming back — leadership he trusts, modest pay, and a charitable contribution — underscore how reputation, control and purpose factor into high‑profile reunions.

For Dancing With the Stars, the appearance is an asset for the anniversary narrative and a public marker that prior controversies need not define the franchise’s future. For Bergeron, the return preserves his legacy with the show while allowing him to remain selective about any deeper reengagement.

Sources

• The Hollywood Reporter — entertainment reporting and original interview with Tom Bergeron
• ABC — Dancing With the Stars — official broadcaster information and episode listings (official)
• Motion Picture & Television Fund (MPTF) — industry charity referenced by Bergeron (official)