Samantha Harris Critiques Tyra Banks Hosting Era

Former co-host Samantha Harris speaks out about Tyra Banks' tenure on the reality dance competition series.

Updated on Oct. 29, 2026 in Dance

Gouache-painted illustration of elegant ballroom dance shoes under a spotlight, evoking the competitive nature of reality television. — Former 'Dancing With the Stars' co-host Samantha Harris shared her critique of Tyra Banks' tenure as host during the program's recent era. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

Former Dancing With the Stars co-host Samantha Harris has publicly criticized Tyra Banks for her performance while serving as host of the show. Banks took over the role in 2020 following the departure of longtime host Tom Bergeron.

Why it matters

The transition marked a significant change in the long-running show's format and production history. Harris served as a co-host for eight seasons, offering a perspective on the series' evolution during the transition between the two hosts.

Samantha Harris cohosted the series for 8 seasons, while Tyra Banks served as host for 3 seasons after replacing Tom Bergeron, who led the show for 15 years. Bergeron also returned to the show as a guest judge during the 34th season.

The players

Samantha Harris

She is a television personality who served as a co-host for the first eight seasons of Dancing With the Stars.

Tyra Banks

She is a television personality and model who currently remains an executive producer for Dancing With the Stars.

Tom Bergeron

He is a television host who led the competition series for 15 years before his departure in 2020.

Alfonso Ribeiro

He is a television actor and personality who currently hosts the competition series.

Julianne Hough

She is a dancer and performer who currently serves as a host for the long-running reality competition.

The details

Tyra Banks joined the competition program in 2020 after the departure of Tom Bergeron, who had been a fixture since 2005. During Banks' tenure, the production shifted its primary distribution from network television to a streaming platform before she left in 2023 to focus on her business and entrepreneurship.

Tom Bergeron began hosting Dancing With the Stars in 2005.
Tyra Banks replaced Tom Bergeron as host in 2020.
Tom Bergeron commented on the show's direction in October 2021.
Tyra Banks announced her departure as host in 2023.

Industry Dynamics

This critique emerges as the show navigates the industry-wide shift from traditional network broadcasting to streaming-first distribution. The change in leadership mirrors broader trends in franchise management where veteran hosts are often swapped to update long-running formats.

Viewers can currently see Alfonso Ribeiro and Julianne Hough as hosts on the program following the departure of Tyra Banks. The show continues to be available via the streaming platform that adopted it during the previous production era.

The takeaway

Host transitions often define the cultural legacy and public reception of long-running reality franchises. Assessing these shifts provides insight into how networks balance traditional appeal with modern production strategies.