Tyra Banks Has Announced Her Departure From 'Dancing With the Stars'

Model and television host Tyra Banks made waves when she was cast as the new host of Dancing With the Stars in 2020. Despite her long history of hosting shows such as America's Next Top Model, America's Got Talent, and The Tyra Banks Show, many fans were not fond of her new role.

In April 2022, the U.S. Sun reported Tyra would probably not return to host Season 31 of Dancing With the Stars. However, she returned. But in March 2023, Tyra herself revealed that she's leaving DWTS. So, why was Tyra making an exit? Let's take a closer look.

In an interview with TMZ on March 17, 2023, Tyra explained why she decided to leave Dancing With the Stars.

"I feel it's time for me to really focus on my business and entrepreneurship, but also producing more TV but behind the scenes," she told the publication "So, you know what? I think it's time to graduate from the dance floor to the stock market floor."

Tyra continued: "I think my heart, my soul is into my business, it's also into producing new TV. I really, really wanna focus on my business and you can't do that hosting a show, so you'll see me creating things, not just hosting."

It's unclear whether someone will replace Tyra, or whether Alfonso Ribeiro will continue his hosting duties solo.

On April 12, 2022, the U.S. Sun reported that Tyra Banks would not likely be returning to Dancing With the Stars to host Season 31 of the show. A source told the outlet, "There is no official decision on who will be hosting next season, but it doesn't look like Tyra will be back. Which would be a network decision, not her decision."

The iconic reality series will retire from broadcast television after 16 years on the air for Season 31 and move instead to streaming exclusively through Disney Plus. The U.S. Sun's source blamed the show's "historically low" ratings for Tyra's leaving, saying, "Production has been a mess, with no clear direction of where [the show] was going, which is why certain producers have been axed in recent months."

The source added, "The mix of the behind-the-scenes chaos and the historically low ratings ultimately was the nail in the coffin. ABC didn't feel it was worth the investment anymore but didn't want to drop it as a whole."

The Sun's source clarified they did not believe Tyra was the cause of the low ratings.

Former Dancing With the Stars host and champion Brooke Burke didn't mince words when she spoke about Tyra's hosting skills in April 2022. She told Behind the Velvet Rope podcast that it wasn't a surprise Tyra's first season hosting was a "tough transition" and added that Banks is "a diva."

Brooke clarified, "There’s nothing wrong with that, and I’m not saying anything bad about her. Be a diva,” Burke added. “It’s [just] not the place to be a diva. Your pros are the diva[s], your winners, your perfect 10 score dancer who’s never done it, that defines diva in the ballroom." She hinted that being the show's host "requires a lot of compassion and kindness."