Tyra Banks Told Accept 'Dancing With The Stars' Co-Host Alfonso Ribeiro Or Be Fired
Jul. 15 2022, Published 12:47 p.m. ET
Alfonso Ribeiro has joined Dancing with the Stars season 31 as Tyra Banks’ co-host, however, he shouldn’t expect a warm welcome from the former model, RadarOnline.com has learned.
“Tyra was basically told that she would have to co-host the show with Alfonso or not host the show at all,” sources tell RadarOnline.com.
“Tyra tried to host the show solo, and it just didn’t work. She thought her personality and talent would be enough, but viewers didn’t agree. Focus groups showed they missed the chemistry of two hosts working together. Obviously, Tyra wasn’t happy about the decision, but she had no choice, if she refused, she would have been shown the door,” an insider tells us.
Ribeiro will join Season 31 as the show moves to Disney+, the streamer. He is best known for his role as Carlton Banks on Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, and has a long history with the dancing competition series that he won in 2014.
“Alfonso has worked with Tyra before and knows what he is getting into,” a pal added. “She might not him around, but the good news is everyone else does. Firing Tom Bergeron and Erin Andrews and replacing them with Tyra was a huge mistake. They can’t get Tom and Erin back but bringing back Alfonso might work. If it doesn’t, the show will be canceled.”
Banks and Ribeiro previously appeared together in The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, when she made her acting debut on the show’s fourth season.
As RadarOnline.com previously reported, in April, ABC made the decision to move the one-hit smash-hit reality show to Disney+.
The move infuriated diehard fans who have been watching the show since it premiered in 2005. The ratings have been in a free fall for years and Tyra was brought on as host/producer to rejuvenate the dying franchise.
Sources connected to the show told The Sun that Tyra was a “nightmare” to work with and was “disrespectful to everyone” on set.
The insider said, "She gives orders and makes wild demands. The viewers hate Tyra, but ABC is locked with her so they are trying.”
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