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Tom Bergeron<\/a> was the host of\u00a0Dancing With the Stars<\/a><\/em> for 28 seasons before he was fired from the show in 2019. Fans were devastated to see Bergeron leave, but it turns out he wouldn\u2019t have been around for much longer anyway.<\/p>\n Amid the show\u2019s 34th season, Bergeron has been sharing throwback photos from his time on the show, which has prompted fans to comment about how much they miss him. When one fan asked if they should feel guilty for still watching the dance competition after Bergeron\u2019s departure, he made a surprising confession about when he would\u2019ve left the series if he wasn\u2019t let go.<\/p>\n \u201cAbsolutely not a betrayal,\u201d Bergeron assured the commenter. \u201cIn fact, I encourage you to watch it! Here\u2019s the thing; even if they HADN\u2019T fired me, I would\u2019ve left after Season 30, when my contract ended. That had always been my plan. The team there now has my full support.\u201d<\/p>\n Tyra Banks<\/a> hosted\u00a0Dancing With the Stars<\/em> for Seasons 29, 30, and 31. During Season 31, Alfonso Ribeiro<\/a> joined as co-host before becoming the lead host during Season 32. He has been joined by Julianne Hough<\/a> as co-host since then.<\/p>\n Bergeron previously opened up to TV Insider<\/a> about his plans to leave after Season 30, explaining, \u201cAs circumstances played out, I left two seasons before. But those seasons were during COVID, so what would\u2019ve been my last two \u2026 I would\u2019ve hated them. Everything I loved about the show, the camaraderie, hanging out, none of that would\u2019ve been available. I\u2019m glad it didn\u2019t end that way. And not surprisingly, the showrunner that I locked horns with didn\u2019t last much longer anyway.\u201d<\/p>\n He also teased that he\u2019s \u201cpresented a scenario\u201d to now-showrunner Conrad Green<\/a> in which he would \u201ccome back<\/a> for one night,\u201d but did not specify when that would be. The show is set to celebrate its 20th anniversary this season.<\/p>\n Bergeron previously said on the\u00a0Sex, Lies, and Spray Tans<\/em><\/a> podcast that he was fired from the show<\/a> because he criticized producers for casting Sean Spicer<\/a>. Bergeron recalled telling producers not to cast political figures and said they agreed with him, which was why he was so shocked when he found out Spicer was on the show just weeks later.<\/p>\n \u201cI said, \u2018Guys, this is\u00a0exactly<\/em> what we said we wouldn\u2019t do!\u2019\u201d Bergeron revealed. \u201cAnd I would have responded the same way if they had booked Hillary Clinton<\/a>, whom I voted for. \u2018Don\u2019t go there. This is not the right time. Play to our strengths. Be the show that gives people a break from all this bulls**t.\u2019 So, I was furious.\u201d<\/p>\n Bergeron said he offered to take the season off, but was instead offered to be let out of his contract entirely. When the cast with Spicer was announced, Bergeron aired his grievances on Twitter as a way to clap back at the show producers who \u201cf**king lied\u201d to him. Although he went through hosting that year, he said he knew it would likely be his last.<\/p>\n Dancing With the Stars<\/strong><\/em>, Season 34, Tuesdays, 8\/7c, ABC and Disney+<\/strong><\/p>\n For a more extended celebration of two decades of Dancing With the Stars, from exclusive interviews to retrospectives and must-see photos, pick up a copy of<\/i><\/b>\u00a0TV Guide Magazine\u2019s<\/a><\/b>\u00a0Dancing With the Stars 20th Anniversary<\/b>\u00a0special issue, available for purchase online at<\/i><\/b>\u00a0DWTS.TVGM2025.com<\/a><\/i><\/b>\u00a0and on newsstands now.<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n