Tom Bergeron on Unleashing His Anger at DWTS After ‘They Screwed Me’ with a ‘Betrayal’ of a Casting

Tom Bergeron shares the moment he knew it was his time Dancing with the stars came to an end.

The television personality, who hosted the show from 2005 to 2020, gave context to his sudden exit from the ballroom competition during the latest installment of his extended chat with his ex DWTS pro Cheryl Burke about her Sex, lies and spray tanning podcast.

Back in 2019, Bergeron claimed that Dancing with the stars executives sought out lunches to discuss the upcoming season. With the United States entering a contentious election year, he recommended that CEOs refrain from naming any politician from either party to give viewers a “wonderful escape” from the state of the country.

Although they agreed, Bergeron recalled receiving “a phone call from the showrunner and another producer” who made a list of celebrities and public figures to compete on the show.

“And this former showrunner said to me, ‘You might want to sit down for this last one.’ I said ‘Why?’ And then they told me who it was,” he continued. Alluding to former White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer as “a former reporter for [then-President Donald] Trump,” Bergeron recalled saying, ‘Guys, that’s exactly what we said we weren’t going to do. Don’t go there. This is, you know, not the right time, use our strengths, be the show that gives people a break from all of these of bulls—.”

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Tom Bergeron and Cheryl Burke in ‘Dancing with the Stars’. Eric McCandless via Getty

Trying to reach a compromise, the TV personality suggested he “take the season off,” to which the host and producer offered to “release you from your contract if you want.”

“They felt so strongly,” Bergeron said, adding that it “really pissed me off.”

PEOPLE reached out to representatives for Dancing with the stars.

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Sean Spicer and Jenna Johnson in ‘Dancing with the Stars’. Kelsey McNeal/ABC ‘DWTS’ host Tom Bergeron slams Sean Spicer cast members, says show should be an ‘oasis’ from politics

Bergeron, now 68, recalled feeling “furious” but tried to be “Swiss” — ie. ago his “temper worked”, which he admits he knew “wasn’t going to be pretty”.

He decided to release a statement in response to Spicer’s casting to “let people know I was fucking lied to.”

He said: “So, I wrote the statement I wrote, in which I did not name anyone, in which I did not name any political party,” he continued. “It just said, ‘I was told certain things when asked for my opinion, they agreed, and now they’ve made a foul play.’ I even went so far as to say it’s their right to do that. They’re the producers of the show, if that’s what they want to do, they have the right to do that. We’re going to have to agree to disagree.”

Tom Bergeron and Erin Andrews in ‘Dancing with the Stars’. Adam Taylor/Abc

When Spicer, now 52, ​​was announced Good morning AmericaBergeron received countless messages, and the public was outraged by the decision.

“So at that point I knew this was probably my last season, because of that one betrayal,” he said. “Until that moment, there were people of character there.”

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Knowing his statement would be indicted, the former game show host was advised by a lawyer who re-read it and claimed it was a “well thought out perspective” and not “targeting anyone”, but said it would put “in a target” on your back.”

When Burke, 39, was asked if network executives knew of his intentions to release the statement, he said they “didn’t deserve to know.”

“They screwed me over. I’m going to screw them,” he said of his mindset. “But I wanted viewers to know that this was a step too far for me. It was a step too far on the threshold of an election year. And again – if he was a democrat, the same statement.”

Tom Bergeron.

Adam Taylor/Disney General Entertainment/Getty

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Bergeron shared the news of his departure on X (formerly known as Twitter) in July 2020, writing at the time that he was “informed that @DancingABC will continue without me.”

During an appearance on the late Bob Saget Here for you podcast in October 2021, Bergeron admitted he was “not surprised” to be “fired” from DWTS.

“Honestly, the show I left was not a show I loved,” he said. “So at the end of the season, which turned out to be my last, I kind of knew. I brought everything out of my locker room that I really wanted to. … It was obvious that we were clashing. [behind the scenes]. It was not pleasant [experience].”

He added: “I wasn’t surprised that it was my last season, so there was no blue period. In fact, I think Erin [Andrews] and I had more fun getting fired than anyone.”

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Dancing with the stars airs Tuesdays at 8pm ET/5pm PT on ABC and Disney+.

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