The former host of the competitive ABC ballroom series exited in 2020 after objecting to the casting of Sean Spicer.

Tom Bergeron receives ‘sweet, shiny’ gift from DWTS team 5 months after returning to guest judge

The former host of the competitive ABC ballroom series exited in 2020 after objecting to the casting of Sean Spicer.

By Sharareh Drury

April 3, 2026 3:08 p.m. ET

Leave a Comment

Tom Bergeron. Credit:

Eric McCandless/Disney via Getty

Tom Bergeron just received a special honor for his 15-year run on *Dancing With the Stars*.

Bergeron's legacy with the competitive ABC ballroom series spanned 28 seasons, from the show's premiere in 2005 until his departure in 2020, and included nine Primetime Emmy Award Nominations for Outstanding Host for a Reality or Competition Program, with the host winning the award in 2012.

On Friday, the television host and comedian took to Instagram to share a "sweet, shiny surprise" he received from the series’ production designer James Yarnell to thank him for his dedication to the show.

"I went to lunch with my buddy James Yarnell, the Emmy-winning production designer. We’ve known each other since 1998, when he was production designer for my version of *Hollywood Squares*," Bergeron said at the start of his video post.

Bergeron then showed a box he received from Yarnell decorated with the *DWTS *logo.**

"First thing that came to mind was [judges] Bruno Tonioli‘s portable bronzer or Carrie Ann Inaba‘s smelling salts. You know, 'Cause it takes a village," Bergeron said of what he thought could be inside.**

Bergeron revealed that he had been gifted his own Mirrorball Trophy, which is the top prize awarded to the winning couple of *DWTS*.

"How about that?” Bergerson said, holding it up with pride, quipping, "And I only had to dance once in 2006."

The former host returned to the show as a guest judge for its 20th anniversary episode last November, marking his first return since his surprise departure from the series in July 2020 before the 29th season began.

His exit was attributed to disagreements with a producer and the showrunner regarding the casting of President Donald Trump’s former White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer. In August 2019, Bergeron took to Twitter to voice frustration over Spicer being cast, writing that he had hoped the 28th season would be "a joyful respite from our exhausting political climate."

Tom Bergeron on 'Dancing With the Stars'.

Eric McCandless/Disney via Getty

Why did Tom Bergeron leave 'DWTS'? Here's why he felt 'screwed' after his original departure

Tom Bergeron explains who almost replaced him on 'Dancing With the Stars'

***Get your daily dose of entertainment news, celebrity updates, and what to watch with our EW Dispatch newsletter.***

During an appearance on former *DWTS* pro Cheryl Burke's *Sex, Lies, and Spray Tans *podcast in 2023, Bergeron opened up about being "furious" over the entire situation. He noted that his social media post caught ABC executives off guard, which was intentional and that "they didn't deserve to know."

"They had screwed me. I'm gonna screw them," he explained to Burke. "But I wanted the viewers to know this was a step too far to me. This was a step too far on the cusp of an election year. And again — had it been a Democrat, same statement."

Tyra Banks initially replaced Bergeron as the host and executive producer of *DWTS*. Following her departure in 2023, the show moved to a co-hosting format with Alfonso Ribeiro and Julianne Hough, who currently host the series. **

Original Article on Source

Source: “EW Reality”