DWTS Bombshell: Bobby Bones Was Almost Host Instead of Tyra Banks - And He Returned His Trophy Over Bergeron's Comments

BY Elena Rossi • MARCH 13 2026 AT 5:59 PM ET

Credit: Tom Bergeron hosts 'Dancing With the Stars'. Credit: ABC/Eric McCandless

A stunning revelation has rocked the Dancing With the Stars universe: before Tyra Banks took over as host, producers secretly approached Bobby Bones to replace Tom Bergeron. In an explosive podcast conversation that aired this week, Bergeron and Bones dropped multiple bombshells about the controversial host transition and their own strained relationship.

"Before they went to Tyra Banks to replace me, they went to you, right?" Bergeron asked point-blank on The BobbyCast. Bones confirmed: "Yes, but in full transparency, I was told you were leaving." The 2018 Mirrorball champion revealed network executives specifically warned him not to contact Bergeron about the hosting gig, prompting Bergeron to call them "weasels" for their handling of the situation.

Tom Bergeron; Bobby Bones. ABC/Eric McCandless; Allen Berezovsky/Getty

The conversation took an emotional turn when addressing Bergeron's previous criticism of Bones' 2018 victory. In a November interview with Parade, Bergeron called Bones' win "the thing that shocked me most" - comments that led Bones to actually return his Mirrorball trophy. "I felt terrible that the way I phrased my honest surprise at your win... I wish I had said, 'Well, this wasn't a shock, but it was a surprise when Bobby Bones won,'" Bergeron confessed during their raw exchange.

Bones revealed the depth of his hurt on TikTok earlier this year: "I didn't even want to be on the show. I had no intention of being on Dancing with the Stars. I was working on a different show at the network, they asked me to go on the show to promote. Am I supposed to not show up and work hard?" The radio personality's decision to return his trophy - an unprecedented move in DWTS history - underscores how deeply Bergeron's comments affected him.

This revelation rewrites DWTS history in multiple ways: not only was Bones considered as Bergeron's replacement before Tyra Banks, but the tension between the former host and 2018 champion ran so deep that it led to the unprecedented return of a Mirrorball trophy. The conversation also exposed behind-the-scenes network maneuvering during one of the show's most controversial transitions.

TheEntBase has reached out to ABC and Dancing With the Stars producers for comment on these explosive revelations. The show continues with current hosts Alfonso Ribeiro and Julianne Hough, who took over after Tyra Banks' departure, completing a full circle of hosting drama that began with Bergeron's 2019 exit.

THE ENTBASE VIEW

"This isn't just another celebrity gossip piece - it's a major revelation that rewrites DWTS history. The fact that Bobby Bones was approached to host before Tyra Banks changes our understanding of that controversial transition, and Bones returning his trophy over Bergeron's comments shows how deeply personal these professional relationships can be. The network's 'weasel' behavior in keeping Bergeron and Bones from communicating adds another layer to Hollywood's cutthroat nature. This story has everything: betrayal, redemption, trophy returns, and a 'what-if' scenario that could have changed DWTS forever."

CONTRIBUTOR: Elena Rossi

International Content Lead. Reporting on global co-productions, European markets, and the rise of non-English hits.