Tyra Banks is back as host and executive producer of Dancing with the Stars for her third consecutive season. Joining her as co-host is DWTS Season 19 Mirrorball Champion Alfonso Ribeiro.
Expert judges Len Goodman, Carrie Ann Inaba, Bruno Tonioli, and Derek Hough are also back in their seats on the ballroom floor. The season 31 premiere date on Disney+ will be announced at a later date.
“‘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,” said Alfonso Ribeiro.
“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+.”
“I’ve known Alfonso since I was 19 years old, and he always puts a smile on my face whenever I see him,” said Banks. “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!”
Dancing with the Stars is the hit series hosted by supermodel and businesswoman Tyra Banks and actor and television personality Alfonso Ribeiro, in which celebrities are paired with trained ballroom dancers to compete in themed choreographed dance routines.
They are judged by a panel of renowned ballroom experts, including Len Goodman, Carrie Ann Inaba, Bruno Tonioli, and Derek Hough.
After an impressive 30 seasons on ABC, Dancing with the Stars moves to its new home on Disney+, premiering exclusively in the U.S. and Canada this fall, making Dancing with the Stars the first live series to debut on the streaming service.
Dancing with the Stars is produced by BBC Studios Los Angeles Productions.
Alfonso Ribeiro currently hosts ABC’s America’s Funniest Home Videos, and the show returns this fall for season 33. His iconic television personality danced its way into our hearts with his talents as an actor, TV director, award-winning dancer, and Broadway star. Ribeiro has spent over 30 years leaving his unique mark on television, theater, and pop culture worldwide.
He also hosts the longtime ABC hit’s successful spinoff, America’s Funniest Home Videos: Animal Edition, which airs on Nat Geo WILD and brings lots of laughs into homes across America with hilarious clips of cats, dogs, and other animals. In addition, he hosted Game Show Network’s reboot of Catch 21.
Alfonso Ribeiro began his career as a child actor, most notably on Broadway, playing the lead role in the Tony-winning musical The Tap Dance Kid. As news of Ribeiro’s dancing and singing skills spread, he was offered a recording contract with Island Records, for whom he released several dance/pop singles, as well as his role in Michael Jackson’s 1984 Pepsi commercial.
Ribeiro was then cast in the long-running NBC sitcom Silver Spoons, making him an instant teen idol. After earning a theater arts education from Cal State University, Los Angeles, he was given the opportunity to choose a role on the established sitcom A Different World or a new pilot called The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. Showing an adventurous streak, he chose the latter and created the iconic character of Carlton Banks, for which he is known throughout the world.
Having grown up in front of the camera, he also knew opportunities existed behind the scenes. His diverse resumé as a TV director includes popular programs like In the House, Shake It Up, Are We There Yet?, The Wannabes, Meet the Browns, Cuts, Eve, One on One, and All of Us.
Ribeiro continued to make good use of his dancing skills in 2014 when he won the 19th season of Dancing with the Stars. After finishing in first place, he hosted the countrywide Dancing with the Stars tour.
Mirko Parlevliet has been reporting on the entertainment industry since 1998 and founded Vital Thrills in 2018 to cover the latest news on streaming, movies, TV, and video games.