Actor and TV presenter Alfonso Ribeiro is officially joining the Dancing with the Stars family! Ribeiro, a former DWTS competitor and winner, will co-host the show alongside model and DWTS host Tyra Banks.
The announcement that Ribeiro would join the hosting team arrived as it was revealed that Banks would return for another season as the show’s host.
Ribeiro commented on the big news, indicating that he was “ecstatic” to return to the DWTS family, and also mentioned his “longstanding friendship” with host Tyra Banks.
DWTS winner Alfonso Ribeiro to co-host show with Tyra Banks
On Thursday’s installment of Good Morning America, the GM crew revealed that Tyra Banks would be back as host of Dancing with the Stars. In addition, they announced she’d have a brand new co-host in Alfonso Ribeiro.
Ribeiro, 50, is best known for his longtime role as Carlton Banks on the popular NBC sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, which starred Will Smith, and ran from 1990 through 1996. In addition, many TV viewers have seen Alfonso Ribeiro hosting the Sunday night show America’s Funniest Home Videos and winning on Dancing With the Stars.
He competed in the show’s 19th season alongside professional dancer Witney Carson. Fans watched as the duo implemented his iconic Carlton dance moves into one routine on the ballroom floor. In the finale, Ribeiro bested fellow celebs Sadie Robertson and Janel Parrish to claim the Mirrorball Trophy.
Tyra Banks will reportedly return for her third season as the show’s host, following in the footsteps of longtime DWTS host Tom Bergeron. The network let the Emmy-winning host go ahead of its 29th season. Interestingly, Ribeiro replaced Bergeron as the host of America’s Funniest Home Videos in 2015.
In addition to Banks’ return to DWTS, the show will have four of its judges back for the upcoming season. They’ll include former dance pro Derek Hough alongside Len Goodman, Bruno Tonioli, and Carrie-Ann Inaba.
Alfonso Ribeiro is ‘ecstatic’ to return to DWTS as co-host
After the big announcement, Alfonso Ribeiro and Tyra Banks shared official statements. According to Ribeiro, he’s hoping that his longtime friendship with Tyra Banks will “resonate” with DWTS fans.
“Dancing with the Stars has been such an important part of my life for so many years, and I am ecstatic to officially re-join this tight-knit family as co-host,” Ribeiro said in a statement, per TV Line. “Tyra and I have a longstanding friendship that I hope will resonate with all of the fans at home as we kick off this new season on Disney+.”
Ribeiro also shared a video on his Instagram, commenting about the big announcement.
In a statement, Tyra Banks also spoke about her friendship with Ribero, which has continued for three decades. Banks also suggested that Ribeiro can identify with what DWTS contestants are going through.
“I’ve known Alfonso since I was 19 years old, and he always puts a smile on my face whenever I see him. Having such a fun-loving, longtime friend as co-host warms my heart. Plus, he’s won the competition before, so he knows exactly what the stars are going through. Bantering back and forth with him live is going to be so much fun!” Banks said.
The news that Banks and Ribeiro will host the show comes months after news arrived that the dance competition series was leaving its longtime home of ABC. The show will officially move to the Disney Plus streaming platform, beginning with Season 31.
According to a Deadline report, the move comes after 16 years of ABC televising the show and will allow the network to show NFL’s Monday Night Football games this fall in DWTS’ former 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. Eastern Time slot.
The Dancing with the Stars Season 31 premiere date is TBA for Disney Plus.