“Dancing with the Stars” fans aren’t the only ones who don’t think Tyra Banks is best fit to host the show. During an appearance on Wednesday’s David Yontef‘s “Behind the Velvet Rope” podcast (watch below), former “Dancing” winner and host Brooke Burke was asked about her thoughts on the current “Dancing” host — and she did not hold back.
“She’s a diva. Everybody knows she’s a diva. There’s nothing wrong with that. I’m not saying anything bad about her — be a diva,” Burke said. “[But] it’s not the place to be a diva. Your pros are the diva, your winner, your perfect 10 score dancer who’s never done it — that defines ‘diva’ in the ballroom. So I just think it wasn’t embraced.”
Banks has been a divisive “Dancing” figure since she was tapped to replace original host Tom Bergeron and co-host Erin Andrews, who were fired in July 2020 as part of a creative overhaul. During her two-season tenure so far, the supermodel has had several on-air faux pas, from flubbing lines and announcing the wrong bottom two couples (due to a control room mix-up) to being unclear about how the judges’ tiebreaker vote worked. She has also alienated fans with her frequent wardrobe changes throughout an episode, turning the ballroom into a fashion show.
SEE Everything to know about ‘Dancing with the Stars’ Season 31, from its new network to its new producer
Burke, who won Season 7 with Derek Hough before co-hosting alongside Bergeron from Seasons 10 through 17, noted that it’s been a “tough transition” after the abrupt host swap, but it’s important to remember who the show is about — or rather isn’t about. “I think that show requires a lot of compassion and loving kindness, especially as the host,” she continued. “Change is hard for everyone. They’ve gone through a lot on that show, that’s for sure. But you’re just not the star as the host. It’s not about you as the host, right? So, yeah, I think Tyra is great in a shining role. I will just say that.”
Renewed for Seasons 31 and 32, “Dancing” will move from ABC to Disney+ this fall. It’s unknown whether Banks, who’s also an executive producer, will return as host. She was hired by former executive producer Andrew Llinares, who left the series last month after five seasons. Asked to comment, Bergeron tweeted, “Karma’s a bitch.”
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George is Digismak’s reported cum editor with 13 years of experience in Journalism