Tyra Banks on 'Dumb Rumors' of 'DWTS' Housewives Ban, Hints Someone Is Trying to Sabotage Her (Exclusive)

Tyra Banks says there's no truth to the rumors of a so-called Real Housewives ban on Dancing With the Stars. The new host opened up to ET's Lauren Zima after Monday's latest episode, and she shot down the reports in full.

"I don't know what's happening. I don't even understand," Banks shared. "You know what, there are some people out there who are just trying to stir stuff up."

"First of all, I have nothing to do with casting," Banks explained. "Second of all, I'm a freaking businesswoman. The Real Housewives are some of the biggest stars in this country. So that's just somebody trying to hate, and there's a lot of that going on right now."

According to Banks, she thinks there's someone who is intentionally trying to stir up trouble to cause controversy.

"There will be another rumor next and another one. After while, I'm just going to be like, 'I just can't even answer this crap anymore,'" Banks said. "There's somebody that's hating. Somebody that's mad there are changes on Dancing With the Stars so they are making stuff up."

"I think I know who it is, but I haven't called them out yet," she added.

RHONY alum Bethenny Frankel recently asked Banks to come on her podcast on Twitter after she previously tweeted about the rumors and then deleted the post. The DWTS host tells ET that she wishes Frankel would have just reached out to her directly.

"I gotta say, Bethenny, girl, next time just call me!" she said. "Because people are crazy. I buy your popcorn! I buy her popcorn. She's got some good-a** popcorn. And I buy her popcorn and then I hear all this stuff. I'm like, just call me!" 

As for this current spate of Housewives-related speculation, Banks said, "It's just dumb rumors, and they are going to continue."

It's been a few years since a Housewife has appeared on the show. Most notably, Real Housewives of Beverly Hills' Erika Jayne competed on the series on season 24 in 2017. 

However, after the rumors began swirling online -- and some Real Housewives cast members started weighing in - Banks' longtime publicist, Elana Rose of the Rose Group, released a statement to the press denying the claims.

"This is 100 percent untrue," Rose's statement argued. "She’s a huge fan of the Housewives and everyone knows Tyra is a businesswoman first. As a businesswoman, why would she say anything against the Housewives? She has nothing to do with casting.”

A source close to production also told ET on Thursday that DWTS loves the Housewives and so does the audience, noting that the casting team meets with Housewives all the time and they love having them in the cast.

Dancing With the Stars airs Mondays at 8 p.m. ET/PT on ABC.

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