'Dancing with the Stars': Why Are Tom Bergeron and Erin Andrews Leaving?

Dancing with the Stars will get a major shake-up in its upcoming 29th season, due to air on ABC later this year. Tom Bergeron will not return to the show, bringing his 15-year hosting gig to an end. His co-host Erin Andrew will be not be returning to the show, meaning that the show is set to feature new hosts when it comes back in the fall.

If Bergeron's own Twitter post is anything to go by, it was not his decision to leave the long-running ABC show. He wrote: "Just informed @DancingABC will be continuing without me. It's been an incredible 15-year run and the most unexpected gift of my career. I'm grateful for that and for the lifelong friendships made. That said, now what am I supposed to do with all of these glitter masks?"

A joint statement by ABC and BBC Studios confirmed that both the presenters had been fired from the show as part of a major shake-up of the show: "Tom Bergeron will forever be part of the Dancing with the Stars family. As we embark on a new creative direction, he departs the show with our sincerest thanks and gratitude for his trademark wit and charm that helped make this show a success.

"Erin will also not be returning, and we appreciate all that she brought to the ballroom. Fans have been rooting for her since she originally competed as a contestant back in 2010, and her signature sense of humor has become a hallmark of the show."

Andrews, who joined Bergeron as host in 2014 after coming third when she competed on the show in 2010, not yet tweeted about her departure for the show. She was the fourth woman to co-host DwtS with Bergeron following Lisa Canning, Samantha Harris, and Brooke Burke-Charvet.

Bergeron, meanwhile, had presented over 450 episodes of Dancing with the Stars, beginning with the first-ever episode back in June 2005.

Though the show is getting what ABC calls a "new creative direction," it seems that the judges will be returning.

Bruno Tonioli confirmed he will be back on June 24, when he retweeted a promo for the new season. He wrote: "Can't wait #dwts join the party join the dancing we are Ready to spice up and light up Monday nights." Carrie Ann Inaba and Len Goodman are also expected to be back when the show returns in the fall.

Asked by a Twitter fan if Bergeron's departure as a host meant he was becoming a contestant, he replied, "Um...no."

Dancing with the Stars Season 29 does not have a release date yet, but will air on Monday nights this fall after not airing its spring seasons due to the coronavirus. A full contestant line-up has not been announced, but Bachelorette star Kaitlyn Bristowe was invited to compete during The Bachelor Greatest Seasons Ever clip show.