Getty Tom Bergeron
Former “Dancing With the Stars” host Tom Bergeron has mostly great things to say about his time on the show, but he does have one big regret. He revealed what it was on an episode of his friend and fellow comedian Bob Saget’s podcast where he also talked about fans boycotting the show after they fired himself and co-host Erin Andrews and how he isn’t really grieving the show anymore.
Bergeron Regrets Not Being Able to Have Fun With The New Restrictions
On the podcast episode, Saget asked Bergeron about his departure from the show and Bergeron said he looks back on the show with “great fondness,” but he does have one big regret — he and co-host Erin Andrews were going to have fun with the pandemic restrictions and to turn what might be seen as a hindrance into “an advantage.”
“Had Erin and I stayed with the show — we had texted about it, with the pandemic and knowing that they’d have to make all kinds of allotments for no studio audience and all that, that our goal then as the co-hosts would be to make it OK. To make it fun. To treat what a lot of people would regard as a liability as an advantage, that’s the joy of doing live TV. So that’s really the only thing I regretted not being able to do is weave in that playfulness with the restrictions that might have been present,” said the TV host.
And while he didn’t love being fired, he did see it coming because he and the producers were butting heads over some of the casting choices.
“They’re entitled to do the show the way they think is best,” said Bergeron. “I look back at the time I spent there with really great fondness for the vast majority of it.”
He also said that he still really cares about the professional dancers involved in the show, so he doesn’t want fans to boycott it because he’s no longer there.
“I want [my friends] to have long careers, so I want people to still watch it and support them. And understand that, sure, it’s different, but there are still very, very talented people who are gonna be on your screens,” said Bergeron.
Bergeron Praised Andrews, Saying There’s No Better Person to Be Fired With
Bergeron admitted that “in all candor,” the show he left “was not the show that [he] loved,” so there wasn’t really a “blue period” of grieving. He also saw the writing on the wall and knew what was coming and he praised Andrews for being his partner in crime all those years.
“It was great to have Erin at my side because she and I just kind of locked arms and did the show and I would challenge anybody to look at videos of [our last season] and see anything different. I think we were able to maintain that connection with the viewers and keep it uplifting and fun,” said Bergeron, adding, “Actually, I think Erin and I had more fun being fired than virtually anybody.
Bergeron also cracked, “When I found out who they replaced me with and that that person had the same initials as me, my tweet was, ‘Well, I guess I’m not getting back my monogrammed towels.'”
As for what’s next for Bergeron, he is awaiting word on his “Tic-Tac-Dough” pilot that he shot in June 2021. Hopefully, NBC will pick it up to series soon and Bergeron will be back on “Dancing With the Stars” fans’ TVs.
“Dancing With the Stars” has not yet been renewed for season 31. If it is renewed, it will return in September 2022.
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