Tom Bergeron has revealed why he believes he was fired from Dancing with the Stars and how he saw his firing coming.

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Tom, 66, hosted Dancing with the Stars beginning with its 2005 premiere on ABC through late 2019 -- a span that covered 28 seasons and over 400 episodes.

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His co-host, 43-year-old sports reporter Erin Andrews, was also not asked back for Dancing with the Stars' Fall 2020 edition after joining the show in March 2014 and hosting for six seasons.

ABC said in a media statement -- following a year-long hiatus -- that Dancing with the Stars was heading in a "new creative direction" for Season 29, and the network promptly replaced the duo with former America's Next Top Model and America's Got Talent host Tyra Banks, 47, who now serves as both host and executive producer for the series.

During a recent appearance on "Bob Saget's Here for You" podcast, Tom revealed, "In all candor, the show that I left was not the show that I loved," according to The Wrap.

"The end of the season that turned out to be my last season [in 2019], I kind of knew. So I took everything out of my dressing room that I really wanted... It was kind of obvious that we were butting heads."

Tom "butting heads" with producers was evident when he publicly expressed disapproval over Dancing with the Stars casting former White House press secretary Sean Spicer on Season 28.

Amid backlash and criticism of Sean's casting from viewers, Tom took to Twitter and wrote how he hoped Dancing with the Stars would be "a joyful respite from" the country's "exhausting political climate."

Tom wanted to see the show be "free of inevitably divisive bookings from ANY party affiliations."

Tom said he thought producers were in agreement with him but then a decision was made to "go in a different direction."

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Tom explained, "It is the prerogative of the producers, in partnership with the network, to make whatever decisions they feel are in the best long term interests of the franchise."

"We can agree to disagree, as we do now," he confirmed, "but ultimately it's their call. I'll let it to them to answer any further questions about those decisions."

One of the most recognized former staffers in the Trump administration, Sean built a decades-long career in Republican politics.

"The show had changed a lot for me starting in early [2018]," Tom told Bob Saget.

"We had very clear, sometimes public, differences of opinion about the new showrunner and some of the execs and happily, I was at a point in my life and career where I didn't have to just shut up and take it."

Tom said he "decided to go public" with some of the "concerns" he had at the time.

"And I think that set the stage for it," Tom said of his firing after the Sean Spicer incident, adding that he "wasn't surprised" by his firing and "kind of saw it coming."

Tom joked, "I think Erin and I had more fun getting fired than anyone," according to Us Weekly.

Producers reportedly wanted to evolve Dancing with the Stars in 2020 and make the show feel fresh while reaching out to a new audience.

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But ABC publicly thanked Tom for his "trademark wit and charm that helped make this show a success" after letting him go, and Tom handled his Dancing with the Stars departure graciously and gracefully.

"Just informed @DancingABC will be continuing without me," Tom tweeted in July 2020.

"It's been an incredible 15 year run and the most unexpected gift of my career. I'm grateful for that and for the lifelong friendships made. That said, now what am I supposed to do with all of these glitter masks?"

As for why Tom refrained from speaking out about his behind-the-scenes tension with Dancing with the Stars producers, he shared, "You know what nobody needs to hear? A whiny millionaire."

"It's so self-absorbed. I mean, look. I had great fortune," Tom elaborated. "I mean, I had two network shows running simultaneously for the better part of a decade and a half."

Tom said he has moved on to other projects and Dancing with the Stars drama is now "pretty far in the rearview mirror" for him.

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Tyra is currently serving as Dancing with the Stars host on Season 30.




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