The beloved TV host is opening up about life after the ABC reality dancing competition.
If you're among the many fans hoping Tom Bergeron might one day return to Dancing With the Stars, the former host doesn't think that's going to happen. The veteran TV personality recently opened up to TV Guide Magazine, and explained that viewers shouldn't hold their breath when it comes to him making a triumphant return.
"When people say, 'I'm not gonna watch until you're back,' I say, 'Well, there's really no 'until' here,'" Bergeron explained. "This train has left the station."
That being said, Bergeron doesn't have any bad feelings for fans who still want to watch the series, even after he and co-host Erin Andrews were replaced by Tyra Banks.
"I appreciate the sentiment," Bergeron shared. "[But] I don't hold it against anybody if they [watch]."
Bergeron also opened up about his favorite aspects of having hosted the show for 28 seasons, and the stalwart DWTS emcee said it was all about connections and "the friendships I have with people who were on camera and behind the camera."
"I used to throw midseason parties for cast and staff. It helped create a sense of solidarity," Bergeron recalled. "And then we'd try to sober up the next day."
Bergeron, who has forged a long and beloved career as a TV host, also reflected on his plans for the future, and admitted that he's enjoying a bit of relaxation.
"I've hosted every format imaginable. There's no real fire in my gut to do it again," Bergeron shared. "Having said that, I'm always open to surprises."
The decision to terminate Bergeron and Andrews came as a real shock to many fans when it was first announced ahead of Season 29. However, Executive Producer Andrew Llinares defended the move, and cited the pivot as a necessary change for the long-running franchise.
"It's all about evolution," he told reporters back in September. "Any show like this that has been on for many, many seasons needs to continue to evolve. So I think changing that host is all about evolution."
"It was all about making the show feel fresh, making it feel new and make it reach out to a new audience -- as well as the audience that's been there for years," Llinares explained.
"I think it's really refreshed the pace of the show. It's taken it to a new place, in terms of moving fast and feeling different. I think that there's a real danger when a show has been on for a long time that the audience almost gets bored of the rhythm of it. It doesn't mean that there's anything wrong with it, just that it gets a little boring," he added. "I think it's changed the rhythm of the show in a really exciting way. I think Tyra is doing an amazing, amazing job."
Check out the video below to hear more about Banks' experience hosting DWTS for the first time, and the exciting season that just came to a close last week.
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