Dancing With the Stars is in advanced talks to bring back the original executive producer of the series, Conrad Green, and former host Tom Bergeron is ecstatic about the news. Tom was fired from DWTS in 2020, alongside co-host Erin Andrews, after hosting the first 28 seasons of the show. Model and TV personality Tyra Banks was announced as his replacement, and she has had a lukewarm reception from fans in her two years of hosting the show. DWTS returns this fall and will now stream exclusively on Disney+, and Tyra is not expected back as host.
Conrad Green was with DWTS from the beginning, serving as the executive producer and showrunner when the show first premiered on ABC in 2005. Conrad left the series in 2013, after its 18th season, and Rob Wade became the new showrunner. Rob left DWTS in 2017, which is when Andrew Llinares took over. Andrew was the executive producer who made the call to fire Tom and hire Tyra, a decision that fans of the dance competition widely criticized. In March, DWTS fired Andrew as executive producer, which reportedly delighted the show's pro dancers and Tom, as he took to Twitter to react to the news sarcastically.
According to Deadline, Conrad is nearing a deal to return as the executive producer of Dancing With the Stars after being off the series for nine years. The report revealed, "that some of the DWTS pros and judges already were told about Green’s possible return and are elated about the news." Tom, who has talked sporadically about the show since his firing, expressed his excitement for Conrad's potential return in a tweet, calling him "Lazarus 2.0." While Tom is not bitter about his unexpected departure, he had previously publicly expressed his disdain for the show's direction after Andrew took over as EP.
Since leaving DWTS, Conrad has worked as a producer on a few unscripted shows, such as Ultimate Tag, Utopia, and The Gong Show. Conrad is responsible for bringing DWTS to the US and originally pitched the idea to ABC. Two DWTS judges, Derek Hough and Bruno Tonioli have confirmed that they are returning to the show on Disney+ this fall. While official announcements regarding celebrities, pro dancers, and the host have not yet taken place, DWTS is making its first big decision regarding season 31 in bringing Conrad back to the show.
Conrad returning as executive producer is a huge move for Dancing With the Stars, and it will assuredly be very popular with loyal fans of the show. Although she has not been a terrible host, the Tyra Banks experiment has not been a success, as ratings have only gone down, with viewers finding frustration in Tyra's reliance in making the show all about her. Bringing back Conrad is a step for DWTS to return to its roots now that its found a new home on Disney+. While the decision will likely not prompt Tom Bergeron to come back, as he has said numerous times that he has no desire to return to DWTS, his approval of Conrad's return carries significant weight. This executive producer decision is a sign that Dancing With The Stars is getting itself back on track.
Source: Deadline, Tom Bergeron/Twitter